Joe Dresnok: An American In North Korea

Bob Simon Reports On The Last U.S. Soldier Still Living In North Korea

(CBS)  This segment was originally broadcast on Jan. 28, 2007. It was updated on July 15, 2007.

Joe Dresnok could be the ultimate runaway. Growing up an orphan in Virginia, he kept running away from abusive foster homes. Then, as a soldier serving on the DMZ between North and South Korea, Dresnok did the unthinkable: in 1962, he ran through a minefield and defected into North Korea, where his unthinkable act led to an unimaginable life.

As Bob Simon reports, Dresnok has had for 44 years a mysterious isolated existence in that mysterious isolated country. No one outside North Korea has heard from Dresnok – until now.

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Dresnok told his story to two British filmmakers, Dan Gordon and Nick Bonner, who have made a documentary called, "Crossing The Line." They had already made two documentaries in North Korea—one on that country’s soccer team; and another on star gymnasts training for North Korea's annual spectacle called the Mass Games.

Gordon and Bonner earned the government's trust, so much so that after six years of trying they finally met Joe Dresnok.

"This is a man who disappeared off the face of the known world in 1962. And I went into this room, very sort of dark brick room. This sort of tall man in a black uniform came in. And he sat down, said, 'Hello Boy. I gather you wanna, gather you wanna talk about making a film about me.' And it would have been less surprising to have met Elvis Presley," Bonner recalls. "And yet here was this man in front of me, sat there, Joe Dresnok, who no one has seen since 1962."

Back in 1962, JFK was president and Dresnok was depressed and desperate. His wife had just divorced him, and then after leaving his base without permission for a night of womanizing, he was about to be court-martialed.

"I was fed up with my childhood, my marriage my military life, everything . I was finished. There’s only one place to go," Dresnok told the filmmakers. "On August 15th, at noon in broad daylight when everybody was eating lunch, I hit the road. Yes I was afraid. Am I gonna live or die? And when I stepped into the minefield and I seen it with my own eyes, I started sweating. I crossed over, looking for my new life."

North Korean soldiers surrounded him, as portrayed in the documentary, and some wanted to kill him. Instead, Dresnok was taken by train to the capital, Pyongyang, for interrogation. He was used to running away but he had never run to a place like this before.

Much of North Korea was in ruins a decade after the war. Kim Il Sung, known as "The Great Leader," was Asia's version of Joseph Stalin. One morning, Dresnok woke up to discover that North Korea already had an American defector.

"I opened my eyes. I didn’t believe myself. I shut them again. I must be dreaming. I opened them again and looked and, 'Who in the hell are you?' He says, 'I'm Abshier.' 'Abshier? I don’t know no Abshier,'" Dresnok remembers.

Larry Abshier was another American soldier who had defected three months before Dresnok. Two more GIs would follow over the next two years, Jerry Parish and then Sgt. Charles Jenkins.

They were a propaganda bonanza for the north, which put them on magazine covers, looking pleased and prosperous in paradise. They broadcast their happiness in the north through loudspeakers to American troops at the border.

All were high school dropouts, who had thought more about what they were running from, than where they were going. Misfits in the Army, they were outcasts in North Korea.

"Different customs. A different ideology," Dresnok explains. "The uneasiness of the way people look at me when I walk down the street. 'Oh, there goes that American bastard.' I didn't want to stay, I didn’t think I could adapt."

Four years after Dresnok defected, he and the other Americans had had enough. They sought asylum in the Soviet embassy but the Soviets handed them right back to the North Koreans.

"I think all four of them thought they’d be shot. And what’s remarkable to me is that they weren’t. The authorities painstakingly decided that we will convert them almost. That, you know they will come to our system," Dan Gordon says.

The filmmaker says that conversion process worked. Running away was no longer an option. So, since he couldn’t get out, Dresnok vowed to fit in.

"They might be a different race. They might be a different color. But God damn it I'm gonna sit down and I'm gonna learn their way of life. I did everything I could. Learning the language. Learning the customs. Learning their greetings. Their life. Oh, I gotta think like this, I gotta act like this. I’ve studied their revolutionary history, their lofty virtues about the Great Leader," Dresnok recalled. "Little by little, I came to understand the Korean people.

And "the Korean people" finally accepted the Americans when they started starring in propaganda films that were big hits in the north.

[drrushfan81]

He is a crazy old fool. Not American in my book. Just plain fat coward and Traitor.

[jinxter3]

FASCINATING story on Dresnok. Believe me, he has paid for his treachery every day of his life in N. Korea, despite his false bravado on tv.

The overbearing eyes and hands of NK's censors and handlers was laughingly obvious in the story. Imagine a bottle of Johnny Walker being available to any citizen, even Dresnok. That was probably his first taste of American liquor in 45 years, and I'd be surprised if we was allowed to keep the bottle after the film crew left.

No, Dresnok is living in a hell that even the filmmakers are unable to capture. He is a prisoner in a foreign, frightened, artifical and suspicous culture. He abandoned his country, assaulted his fellow Americans, and sold his soul for NOTHING. 45 years in North Korea is a punishment worse thn death or 20 years on death row. Pity Dresnok for his uninformed decision from so long ao that ruined his life.

[ajax52151]

Obviously Mr. Dresnok has some psychological issues of which I'm not qualified to comment on. However my question is this, with all of the really important events going on in the world today, why would 60 minutes devote any time to this person and subject? He was not a spy, nor did he do anything but provide the North Koreans with a momentary and insignificant propaganda opportunity. He smokes, drinks and goes fishing, where is the story? If it wasn't so sad it would be amusing to contemplate the North Korean propagandists sitting around trying to figure out what to do with this buffoon.

[ago5675]

No matter how you slice and dice it, he is NOT an American. He is a Traitor and a waste of good oxygen on this earth. Someone should have put a bullet through his head many years ago as he crossed the line.

[theav1]

Let's don't call this story "An American in North Korea". Let's call it what HE is "A Traitor in North Korea". He should not share the same title as our brave men and women who fought for this country. The ones that didn't run like cowards. The best news is that his health is failing. He'll be dead soon, and we won't have to hear of this anymore.

[nyteryder2]

As for this story, it does not deserve the time and space it occupies and the traitor is not worth the space he occupies.

Anyone who would run through a minefield like a coward rather than stand and fight deserves the miserable life he ended up with.

He certainly would not be any better off in this country; he's just a friggin' loser. In fact, he's just one more loser not being supported by our government.

[nyteryder2]

"I thought it was the FOREIGN INVADERS AND COLONIZERS OF KOREAN SPACE who started the war, and still refused to leave Korean space to this day? LOL" Posted by Agnim at 04:45 PM : Jan 29, 2007
______________________

Actually the Korean peninsula was divided after WWII into Soviet and American zones just like Germany was. The Korean war started out as a civil war between the north and south when N. Korea attacked the south.

So, without the intervention of the Soviets and Americans the war would have been over in a heartbeat and over 50,000 additional Americans would probably be alive today enjoying their grandchildren.

So, is the current state of Korean affairs worth 50,000+ American lives and countless billions of dollars of our support?

I ask the same question about Iraq.

[nyteryder2]

"No one even dares to mention the 35-50 American POWs from the Vietnam War still being held in North Korea. ... They are there, I know!!" Posted by glimmerman7 at 01:54 PM : Jan 29, 2007
______________________

Unless you saw them yourself you don't KNOW that they are there.

What is your reference or source for our government claiming they are defectors? Surely you have a URL to share with us.

[fallonpa]

I think this story did not deserve any air time. It shows disrespect to the many heros that gave their life in the Korean Conflict, to allow this traitor to have one second of air time. I am a retired USAF Airman. Served during the Viet Nam conflict and had the honor to serve with several Korean Conflict veterans, who were still on active duty at the beginning of my service. I am certain that every one of these honorable military men, would find this 60 minutes news piece, disrespectful of their service. I know that I did and I did not serve in the Korean conflict.

[niufan99]

This guy dosen't mean squat to me he's just living out a misrable life.

[Josemerced]

As a lifelong USAF veteran, I was almost physically ill when you wasted 20 minutes of precious airtime on this Traitor "piece of garbage" who claimed to have been a US soldier when he defected and crossed over to North Korea. The mere fact that he refuses to stop smoking or drinking to improve his health tells it all..he is a weakling, a coward and a waste of oxygen...

[agnim]

"They are going to string him up by his Buster-browns.

Posted by garner991 at 03:48 PM : Jan 31, 2007"

You are a dreamer; "string him up" for what? LOL

The guy was lost since he was a child; and he finally found himself, A FAMILY HE NEVER HAD, and a stationary home.
Unless we are devilish, we should be happy for him and let him live out his days in peace. LOL

[queenmillennia]

Article in 1996.
http://www.korea-dmz.com/home/page/sub05/02/sub05_02_01.asp?s_oid=@4402%7C7%7C1&s_oid_class=cda_article

It's in Korean.
Well, American soldiers crossed DMZ and went into North Korea are totally new to me.
I'm Korean & run www.law4u.net .

[queenmillennia]

Article in 1996.
http://www.korea-dmz.com/home/page/sub05/02/sub05_02_01.asp?s_oid=@4402%7C7%7C1&s_oid_class=cda_article

It's in Korean.
Well, American soldiers crossed DMZ and went into North Korea are totally new to me.
I'm Korean & run www.law4u.net .

[glimmerman7]

No, you don't have to be up to no good to be spied upon. I worked for this government for more than 20 years in various "trusted" capacities plus I am a former state police investigator. Yet my government spies on me all of the time (emails, phone, etc.). When two FBI agents appeared at my home to question me about my email traffic to my son here in the US, I informed them it was against the law to do so and they agreed, apologized to me and left. The apology does not make a difference they have comitted a criminal act (US Constitution, Bill of Rights, Article IV). When I worked for the government and the state police I took an oath to honor our US Constitution and to protect our country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. It is truly a shame our "fearless" leaders cannot and will not do the same. But I am a forgiving individual and I do forgive them for the crimes they have comitted against me but they should still be held accountable for any violations of our laws or we no longer have a democracy, just a dictatorship. It is my hope we don't become the same as our "enemies"?

God Bless

Glimmerman

[rufusmin]

My last comments were for lieberman18 when he criticized me for having an opinion. May I remind him he's only entitled to his because this is a free country. At least in this forum. But then again, we are spied upon, too, by our own. I rather imagine, lieberman18,that if you were up to no good (as determined by our government) that government would come down on your head good and plenty. So be careful. Be very, very careful. Hahahahahahaha (maniacal laughter).

[rufusmin]

The last I heard this was still a free country - or so they tell us. Maybe you object to my "Bush-bashing" because you are really a control freak or even a potential dictator a la that crazy guy in North Korea. Anyway, I think it is a GOOD thing that this story came to light so we can see just how crafty "our enemies" are. After all, there is proof positive now that the media/art/whatever you want to call it DOES influence human behavior (this is something I've been touting for YEARS and no one believes me). Look how the little kids in Iraq are "playing" Saddam Hussein's execution. Once upon a time (in this country, anyway) kids "played" Superman or the Marvels (Capt., Capt. Jr. and Mary) or other media good guys. So don't let anyone tell you people can't be influenced by what they see and hear whether or not they are lies. Look at the poor slob, Jack-Daniels-drinking, smoking-like-a-fish Joe what's-his-name. I think it's VERY important to know what the bad guys are up to. Probably most of you are too young to know how the Communist Russians lionized Paul Robeson who had been treated so badly by his compatriots because he was black. He was influenced by communism to the point where he believed it was the answer. And on and on. By the way, I don't drink Jack Daniels or any other alcoholic beverages and I quit smoking when NY upped the taxes. Had no trouble giving it up after 40+ years of a heavy duty habit. And just to set the record straight, I voted for Bush both times.

[agnim]

Posted by kat26ky at 04:52 PM : Jan 29, 2007

And you think that Americans are fed to overfill with propaganda also? LOL

[glimmerman7]

I am no way supporting Mr. Dresnok! I am merely trying to educate you that there is a reason for everything. It can be a story we like or do not like personally. Just be objective. I take no sides in this matter. I am only here to enlighten or educate. Nothing more and nothing less. I deal only in FACTS! You can choose to listen or ignore. That is entirely up to you.

God Bless

Glimmerman

[agnim]

Good for old Joe Dresnok.

After rough beginnings, he finally got a life and is being respected and treated better than many American vets.

Joe is so proud that he is able to send his child to college, something he probably couldn't imagine for himself growing up.