James Dresnok: The US Soldier Who Defected to North Korea

During the Cold War, an American soldier named James Joseph Dresnok was stationed on the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea. One day, he decided to simply walk over the line to the North. He was “defecting”; betraying his country and choosing to start a new life in an enemy land that he knew nothing about.
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[@Biographics]

Have you checked out my latest channel Business Blaze? It's interesting business stories with a dose of ridiculousness thrown in. Check it out here: kzbin.info/door/YY5GWf7MHFJ6DZeHreoXgw

[@justinwalker331]

No, how bout stop being a BBC mouthpiece

[@touya]

North Korea

[@jbfielding5961]

justin walker a Qq

[@Drewsta4]

Near impossible to find anything on KZbin that isn’t your channel !

[@saucejohnson9862]

James Dresnok passed away this past year, sadly China wants North Korea to suffer to despite America.

[@BizTuxAndFlipFlops]

This man had a cartoonishly bad life.

[@GROZNAYA]

Orion Rodriguez Maybe Eastern Europe’s favourite cat and mouse team, Worker and Parasite!

[@Hiasl1998]

@paul crowley jesus dude

[@Bean-tp7bw]

Almost like Doofenshmirts

[@suspectamogus]

@paul crowley How cringe can you get?

[@derpynerdy6294]

One moustach man double crosses another

[@lillyie]

imagine having such a bad life you literally defected to North Korea

[@LynnJepson]

Too bad he didn't live outside the ELITE CITY like an average N. Korean. Liberals should move there ASAP!

[@naoised7638]

Hey this reminds me of someone oh me

[@Charles_Anthony]

Well, that's one way to get an Asian wife. XD

[@johnthomas2922]

Welcome to life in the Military..

[@_maestro7168]

@@LynnJepson I get you don't agree with them, but that's pretty fucked mate

[@louisavondart9178]

A British soldier did the same in the late 80's. The North Koreans gave him back after 3 days saying that he was mentally deficient. The British army disagreed and locked him up for years for his misdeed.

[@katelynbrown98]

Woah. I'm surprised/"glad?" they imprisoned him afterwards?

[@lillyie]

here after a us soldier defected to north korea only for them to return him afterwards

[@monkeytennis8861]

Except that never happened

[@Blatstein]

@@monkeytennis8861 Sure it did. He kept suggesting NK should implement a tele loicense. It was a step too far for the Kims and he was branded mentally handicapped, a typical diagnosis of a Brit.

[@Star-um9cz]

This all stemmed from this man’s pain. This really shows the importance of showing everyone love, they might desperately need it. James Dresnok, along with all of those mentioned who suffered in one way or another as well, Rest in peace ❤

[@JohnBrown722so]

Dark star

[@heatherperleberg7816]

If you don't love mja, I'm defecting to North Korea

[@PostNutClarityyy]

Dude got high and just walked across the DMZ.

[@dashing932]

he smoked the weed, as in marijuana which made him high ? hahaha that was genius you made my day good sir

[@goreMagala]

Weeeeeed haha dude weed

[@rodiegreen8004]

DUDE WEED

[@voltag3man]

Going to tell you right now, i know some retired vets, dont think just because they have had military experience that they are bright bulbs....

[@jonassungaila8080]

*Don't forget to bring a towel.*

[@icantw8]

It's amazing what a "nothing to lose" mentality can make you do.

[@GeneralCliff]

9/11 hijackers: First time?

[@Firebrand599]

Suicide bombers: First time?

[@skysthelimit6495]

School Shooters: First time?

[@macandcheese9527]

Kamikaze pilot : First time?

[@Kevin-mw4oc]

Soviet meat shields: First time?

[@Yourmomma568]

A guy went from a lonely and desperate man, abused by a system of deep discrimination and classism, and became a celebrity, with immense influence, station, power, and a loving family. No wonder he left.

[@cattysplat]

The US has a tendency to keep beating down on the least fortunate, pushing them into desperation and crime. It should come to no surprise that he took his chance in North Korea than face being sent back to the US with nothing but a military conviction record.

[@shaunmichael2477]

It was basically like Truman show I'd rather have my freedom

[@gallonthegreat7036]

Now imagine being a black American...

[@Yourmomma568]

@@gallonthegreat7036 idk if nk would be better. Hopefully the new guy over there is doing ok.

[@Yourmomma568]

@@Beadledom2024 Right, social ills are totally independent of society and systematic influences, and it bears no responsibility for how it affects the people within it. /S/. Mind your brain.

[@eges72]

As someone struggling with severe depression and anxiety, this have made me to rethink life and be grateful for having a shelter, a stable family, and eating 3 meals a day.

[@GizmoMaltese]

Stay strong, my friend. Have you tried mindfulness techniques?

[@Shadow77999]

Imagine coming back from NK 50 years later and being demoted. He probably even forgot he was in the army lmao

[@heartofdixie67]

Shadow747 Does that mean that they paid him back pay ?

[@ChucksSEADnDEAD]

@@heartofdixie67 lmao imagine he got the military to give him hazard pay for technically being in a war zone this whole time

[@xsailor85]

He would be court marshaled & would have been locked up for the rest of his life.

[@Jupiter__001_]

@@xsailor85 He got only demoted. This is Jenkins, not Dresnok they are talking about.

[@thescottishgiant855]

Shadow747 you never forget that

[@adolphusputin-5605]

Dude got tired of all the rules...so he defects to a country which arguably has even more rules. Logic 101

[@calexise]

i think he got tired of hopelesness. The north korea offer a new start

should've gone to mexico. Lawlessness at its finest.

[@samuelrs5138]

Many people look to travel and moving as a way to fix what is wrong in their life and it's almost always futile.

[@jacob679SD]

StopTheHate this was back in the day where technology was more advanced in NK than the South, and it looked like paradise, rules weren’t as strict, pay attention to @10:44. and use your brain, think of the era this happened

[@lillexus5589]

NK was in s better state in the 60's then now arguably, when compared to other nations at that time.

[@janitorman1965]

Because James life was so horrible as a child I can very easily imagine him, crossing the border into North Korea, and thinking that this was some kind of vacation considering that in the United States, he suffered, almost constant rejection, and abandonment.

[@bandulad7695]

Feel so bad for this soldier, the world was against him his entire life. Hope he found some kind of happiness.

[@thomashenebry8269]

He didn't.

[@thomashenebry8269]

He didn't.

[@mitch7890]

Mans' life was worse than Dr. Doofenschmirtz

[@Alexander-oq1op]

Doof had it rough bro

[@majolko]

his parents were late for his birth

[@crocop6873]

Avstrolopipek hahahah

[@eoniys2875]

*”Both of my parents both failed to show up at my birth”*

[@arrowpictures2844]

But at least doof didn’t defected to north korea

[@thomasturner6980]

*North Koreans flees to South Korea* James Dresnok: *Reverse uno card*

[@617edoub]

Gold😂😂😂😂

[@WolfvineGaming]

**surprised Pikachu face**

[@hotcoals2291]

You do realize that the theoretical North Korean "players" would go again right?

[@hotcoals2291]

@@edwarddavidson868 Well, when one of the main aspects of the joke (i.e. the uno card) is misused, the joke's impact is diminished. Also, I've literally seen this "reverse Uno card" joke multiple times, so it's not very original to begin with.

[@marvelousdex9678]

@@hotcoals2291 Hello, fun department? My Cole 9000 is a total buzzkill. I want a refund.

[@dr.williamkallfelz8540]

Thank you! I saw the documentary "Crossing the Line," narrated by Christian Slater, and your video truly does justice to the complexity and strangeness of this situation--the little we can know of it. To answer your question towards the end I don't think it was a case of "brainwashing," so much as it was really two different people with vastly different perspectives on the same situation (I think of Akira Kurosawa's film Rashomon). The one who stayed and was happy in the PRNK, l mean, to a certain extent (irony of ironies) he truly "achieved" his view of the "American dream" there--the North Koreans basically created a Truman Show and he was the star. I mean, in his sad struggle as a traumatized neglected young boy in the USA, all he really wanted was to be a paterfamilias, and get that love and affirmation he never found and was bitterly betrayed of in the US. He was so sad and embittered it hardly mattered to him if he lived or died, nor, for that matter, if he was just played by the North Korean government. They fed his dreams, they gave him his Blue Pills.

[@newshodgepodge6329]

As a general rule governments should not interfere with people's movements. People should be allowed to settle where they best fit in.

[@denisehagwood4542]

​@@newshodgepodge6329 Why should you be entitled to live in a country that doesn't want you?

[@newshodgepodge6329]

@@denisehagwood4542 It's an arbitrary standard. Nothing good has ever come from governments making decisions about who is or isn't desirable based on nothing more than where people are coming from and where they are going.

[@LiliWhyte]

​@newshodgepodge6329 your comment makes no sense.

[@newshodgepodge6329]

@@denisehagwood4542 Spoken like someone who never ventures far enough from the sofa to make the topic relatable. 😑

[@KaleidoscopicVideos420]

Whos here after another US soldier just ran across the border in order to defect.

[@chosonminhang]

Yay new season! I'm so excited

[@KaleidoscopicVideos420]

@@chosonminhang hahaha

[@zoy13]

King has joined the chat

[@WilliamBrinkley45]

For 2 years in the late 90s, I was company clerk of the unit this guy had defected from. There is the face saving, official story, and the “real” story passed down from outgoing CO to incoming CO and 1st Sgt to 1st Sgt. respectively. Basically Dresnok was wasn’t attempting to defect, he was actually attempting to get himself shot or blown up by a land mine and was attempting suicide. The fact that this guy made it through the DMZ without getting himself killed by a mine is a damned miracle in itself actually. Basically what led up to this was the result of a mental breakdown after repeatedly butting heads with an abusive alcoholic platoon sgt, who was beating and extorting lower enlisted. After Dresnok stood up to the guy, the Platoon sgt told him in front of other lower enlisted that he would kill Dresnok, who told him that he wasn’t afraid of death and would soon prove so. The platoon Sgt received a dishonorable discharge and did 9 months in the brig almost immediately after the army conducted an investigation into Dresnoks defection, and uncovered the whole picture.

[@WilliamBrinkley45]

Woon well at that point he had 3 options. 1) go to a Nkorea prison and be tortured and executed for being a spy 2) escape or beg to be sent back to Skorea and get arrested by the US military and be charged with treason and spend the rest of his life in federal prison or possibly being executed, or 3) say he was defecting to Nkorea and live life the best he could.

[@terryplew3333]

Wow!

[@danvincent2600]

The

[@danvincent2600]

V

[@danvincent2600]

M

[@mattsupertramp6506]

Defected to North Korea because "He was caught smoking the wild marijuana on the North Korean border" what a legend

[@meenki347]

Im Korean and Marajuana definitely grows naturally in Korea. Notice Ancient Korean pictures of Koreans smoking pipes long before America was discovered. And if you didn't know. Tobacco was introduced from the new world.

[@matthewchufong-sprague4563]

Probably from CO.

[@huongtranthanh5608]

Matt Supertramp Marijuana is actually 100% legal in DPRK

[@warpartyattheoutpost4987]

I live in Oregon. Marijuana is legal here and we can own guns. We also have some of the best beer breweries in the world. I'm not defecting to anywhere!

[@kansascityshuffle8526]

Only problem the munchies are forever there

[@annaschwirian7548]

I honestly think it was just two people with very different viewpoints. I think James was one of many US residents that fall through the cracks. Every single country in the world has its plus and negatives. It's up to each citizen to decide if the American dream is there dream.

[@danishcupcake921]

Wise viewpoint :- )

[@stealthactionremasteredsar7936]

What a dream the American one is anyways…..

[@swiftredfield2158]

Its called the american dream cuz' you have to be asleep to believe it...

[@freneticness6927]

With very rich people comes very poor people.

[@jimmoynahan9910]

There is no "American dream" lmao

[@Pikaling3408]

Who's here after Travis King went over the DMZ to North Korea?

[@FrankCostanza456]

👋

[@jackcatchpole4404]

Right here

[@Jivolt]

He loved it when they called him “big papa”.

[@ImNotaRussianBot]

😬

[@57badarse]

@@ImNotaRussianBot there were some ladies in North Korea that be having his babies

[@sebaseba6710]

Did he put his hands in the air because he was a true player?

[@Jivolt]

57badarse baby.

[@mikelarteta9531]

John Marshall lmao

[@rexscipio3344]

This is a sad sad story. His family failed him early on.

[@aaronrobins9953]

Not just his family, but American society as well.

[@Charles_Anthony]

His life may of been sad, but I think he died happy,. He was finally at peace with himself since he achieved his dream;having a family.

[@Charles_Anthony]

@SpaceDreamerFr : It seemed like he only became violent after he joined the military, but I'm just basing that assumption off of what the video said.

[@thirdrice4976]

@SpaceDreamerFr He was violent and resentful because of his shitty ass life that stemmed from childhood. He wasn't violent when he was a child.

[@girlgarde]

What the hell was wrong with them anyways? Why didn't any of them want him? Bunch of selfish bastards......

[@phav1832]

What a sad story. Many of us who think we have problems need to count our blessings.

[@giovannidomenech4321]

This was an eye opener for me! What incredible stories! Thank you for this obscure and hidden history a truly remarkable documentary.

[@David-wk6md]

Me too. 4

[@dflatt1783]

"Joined the Army and they had rules and regulations and people always yelling at him." Yup. About sums it up.

[@caucasusmapper7098]

What did he think lmao

[@itsblitz4437]

Well and his childhood was hell.

[@JeanLucCaptain]

But it's not like he had any options.

[@Starfield6824]

He is the Original snowflake

[@corin164]

So I gather you would have an Army with no regulations and no discipline. That is usually called a mob, similar to what we see today with "Antifa".

[@chickenpasta7359]

This guy was in so much pain to the point where he literally walked away from everything he knew

[@dbergerac9632]

That seems somewhat common among a class of defectors which are apolitical. Lt. Belenko was in a similar "What do I have to lose? I have no life here" state of mind when he defected to the US. He also did not defect due to politics, but simple dissatisfaction.

[@vudangtung5638]

Dude literrally walked across a minefield to get out.

[@johnklm5465]

He's weak and pathetic, people suffered much more than him.

[@theresag1969]

Liberally.

[@theresag1969]

@Nick Logan Easy for you to say since you have something.

[@mariekatherine5238]

Some soldier by the name of King just did the same thing, defect to North Korea to get out of an arrest warrant in the States. Dresnok must have been his role model.

[@DarkZerol]

It's heavily implied that King might be somewhat mentally ill. Supposedly the dude was shouting and drawing attention to himself when he made a sudden dash towards NK border line via a commercial tour group.

[@edljnehan2811]

​@@DarkZerolhe also looks like he's a fruit so he'll have a great time over there😮😮😮😅

[@GooseGumlizzard]

this is a fascinating story. one of the best i've seen on this channel so far.

[@Blackjack09721]

Wow, how do you abandon your kid like that at a retirement home? His dad is a dirt bag.

[@je6874]

alreid09 people would still do it today

[@Blackjack09721]

@@je6874 So true and so sad. No one deserves anything like that to happen to them.

[@sanderskovly7641]

Atleast better than trying to kill him/her, F

[@jefsjefs8448]

@@sanderskovly7641 not necessarily. Living a life of agony as a junkie is worse.

[@314rappin]

Him and his dad had a lot in common they like to lie and abandon their responsibility

[@ChalkInTheLand]

What a childhood this man had. As a parent, I could never fathom abandoning my kid. That's a whole new level of evil

[@michelleevans5531]

There was a lot of that, but not all families that were cruel, in that era out of financial desperation unfortunately. WW2 brought a lot of rationing and hard times.

[@resiefan3258]

Sadly today women and family courts are pushing men to give up their right to their kids. I've been to family court 4 times in 13 years for my son.....i'm not going a 5th time, I was bassically told by the judge on the 4th visit there that as soon as your son is 13 he can choose where to live permanently.

[@mickeymyers13]

@@resiefan3258 I wish u all the best, my friend. I hope he'll be reunited with you soon. How long till he turns 13? Hang in there brother, hang in there. Do it for him. Chin up, keep living and be strong 👍🏻

[@ChalkInTheLand]

@@resiefan3258 Wow. I'm sorry to hear you're going through that with your kid. Good luck. I sincerely hope it works out for you

[@pythondre]

Males with whore mothers shouldn't be allowed to participate in the decision making process of society.

[@shgstewart4674]

Dresnok is such a fascinating character. I saw a documentary about him from a few years before he died. The interviewer had to have a translator because Dresnok had basically forgotten how to speak English.

[@CoolGobyFish]

he spoke fine English. In fact, his main job was teaching English. You are probably thinking of his sons, they don't speak English. Only Korean

[@JJJJ-gl2uf]

Dresnok didn't forget to speak English, he managed quite well during interviews. Even his sons spoke English [with accent], after all they did study at a foreign language university.

[@israelayoade]

Me watching this after Travis King defected. Oh! he is not the first 😂

[@ricardodumas9161]

Still way less than the North Korean defectors to the South. So far only seven Americans have defected to the North, and before King the last one was in 1982.

[@lukeburston00]

His life in North Korea sounds like the Truman show

[@lauraelizabethbrown]

Everyone's life in NK is the Truman show. The only difference is that most of them are trying not to die

[@Horde1Blades]

@@lauraelizabethbrown More like the TRAUMA show lol, Amirite? Comedy.

[@chocolateking1143]

Lol I know right. At least when he wanted a new wife or girlfriend he just has to go to his favorite restaurant.

[@cashkitty3472]

They started together for the rest of their life because divorce isn't really an option in NK even though it allegedly is.

[@Larping101]

I like how they used a current photo of Richmond, Va and just popped a greyscale filter on it.

[@hamos4744]

Wait really? Where?

[@JimLahey1234]

Popped up on screen right when i read this lmao

[@Larping101]

@@hamos4744 it's towards the beginning of the video, 1:12

[@SixCyxSix]

Hamos 47 brother

[@intheshade3018]

Modern problems...

[@chillarypuff]

What an interesting story. Thanks for sharing, love your channel!

[@susanaldawood5480]

Thanks for the Info.God bless!

[@r2b2ct1]

Honestly, he probably did have a better life than he would have had in America. He had everything provided for him, was part of he elite class, and literally became a celebrity. It's not hard to understand why he had no patriotism for the US considering his life was awful and he was constantly abused by those around him.

[@lgbtqiarights]

r2b2ct1 while that is true i dont think we should go on 100% with it considering the fact north korea aims brainwashing propaganda to their own children. there’s a video on yt where a guy is just touring NK and some kids randomly walk up to him when he’s laying down and calling him a western devil.

[@pavelh756]

Yet he didn't ever try to do anything to have a better life

[@bigweevil]

@@zuya4580 Sounds like North Korean propaganda, but ok

[@zuya4580]

@@bigweevillol apparently the Korean War is just propaganda

[@bigweevil]

@@zuya4580 yeah sure the Korean War, where the UN intervened to stop North Korean aggression was TOTALLY the US bombing and raping North Koreans

[@mehicantaco4757]

Next up: German solider who voluntarily worked in a gulag for his entire life.

[@mangodip2170]

Well that's something.

[@salsacolasa5021]

Ярослав Л lol millions died in gulags

[@adamb162]

@Ярослав Л lmao have you ever spoken to a gulag survivor? They were hell on earth. Prisons in america are a 4 star all inclusive resort in comparison

[@maximaldinotrap]

@Ярослав Л Gulags are nowhere near as bad as regular American prisons? Doubt you have been in a Gulag in your life.

[@KeysAndDoorss]

Ярослав Л bro what

[@milkgrapes6420]

This entire story was equally both wholesome and disturbing at the same time

[@Retarmy1]

Good video it is amazing how you get all the information

[@picklev5064]

The only reason he received such a good life in NK is because he went along with want they wanted him to say and they only allowed him to see what they wanted him to. He was essentially living the trueman show life but he never caught on to the scam.

[@IncognitoSprax]

No more of a scam than the American Dream which he learned early.

[@dantheman1998]

Bliss in ignorance...but from what he came from , that was more then enough.

[@iamhungey12345]

I don't think he really cared considering how his life was initially. The guy's life would probably make an interesting Oscar bait movie.

[@drumguy1384]

Or he did catch on, but didn't care because he thought it was the best life he could ever hope to have.

[@matt-ti9ed]

@@IncognitoSprax the American dream is what you make of it, you still gotta work hard, just because you aren't successful doesn't mean it isnt true

[@Cocochantelle]

3 minutes in and I can’t even imagine the pain of being rejected 4 times by adults and seeing your brother being accepted... :(

[@alexandersmagin4769]

he was a bad kid. why not

[@eduardcruceru9004]

@@alexandersmagin4769 i wonder why he was a "bad kid". Maybe it was the fact nobody loved him

[@alexandersmagin4769]

@@eduardcruceru9004 exactly. nobody loved him because...? everybody was an asshole and he was the only good one?

[@russschinkey7783]

@OJDUDE 💩

[@genericscout5408]

@OJDUDE there are plenty of bad kids. there are bad people all the time. And plenty of people live through shitty circumstances without being shitty people themselves.

[@Jumbopoptv]

It just happened again today

[@originalSiiiN]

very interesting story... and enjoyed the production of it as well!

[@bladudemovies]

Imagine how his first wife must have felt upon hearing this information. “Wow. I was such a bad person my husband willingly defected to North Korea for a better life.”

[@rajgill7576]

This dude was such a deadbeat knock lol, I dont think she blames herself

[@2yoyoyo1Unplugged]

Raj Gill deadbeat? She cheated while he was serving! He wasn’t neglecting her, he was stationed abroad and couldn’t refuse his orders.

[@rajgill7576]

@@2yoyoyo1Unplugged if she cheated sounds like they were both on a path to destruction. my point stands

[@TomTV23]

Cc: Pilot episode of The Big Bang Theory

[@TheLinus1997]

Hahaha you think she felt bad a single millisecond of her rotten life? Naah

[@Nine5Vader]

This guy was married and divorced before the age of 20? That's rough

[@FizCap]

That's not uncommon. The army is a miserable organization for some, so I felt James Dresnok on this one.

[@ElijahJenkins2196]

Lmao that’s the army 😂

[@josephjakubec3171]

My wife filed for divorce when I was in Viet Nam. I was 19. Don't mean nothing.

[@joehouseman5264]

That’s the Military for you. Happens all the time. In the Army, the Air Force, the Marines, and the Navy.

[@Dylan_The_Car_Dealer]

That’s normal Brodsky

[@paulmcdonald4232]

Here we are, 2023, & once again another one crossed the line.

[@marcwilliams1942]

This must be what Travis King is trying to do

[@Goodboysforlife]

Dude... This poor poor man. I can't even imagine having a childhood that traumatic.

[@dcxxxx]

My brother works with kids who are "troubled", so to speak. He said "You wonder why a kid behaves so badly....then you meet the parents and it allllllll makes sense."

[@Jerbt]

dcxxxx so you hit them with the belt so they won't be a pain in the ass

[@alexryan15]

@@Jerbt you beat the /*parents*/ with the belt to fix all of the problems lmao

[@chrono-glitchwaterlily8776]

@@alexryan15 excuse me what? You want a death sentence?

[@Goodboysforlife]

@Nick Logan I'm not apologizing for treason. I'm making an observation about how shitty his childhood was. Regardless of how much I might disagree with or find what he did disgraceful and appalling. Im still a human being. I never made any apologies for his actions as an adult I merely pointed out how much a child suffered. And somehow you wanted to one up his suffering because you're apparently such a good and virtuous person. That's all good and virtuous people think about, you know? How much better they are than a child who experienced damn near unimaginable suffering.

[@apex3d595]

"became a massage therapist in Bangkok" now thats a line I need on my resume.

[@Oblio1942]

I know youre supposed to add fluff onto your resume, but everyone knows you just mean 'hooker'

[@clarky23]

I wonder if her sessions had "happy endings?" LOL

[@aaliyahplayingroblox8669]

well, aren't they all? haha

[@kanapotetakerngkeat3506]

Huh, I’m a pure Thai that was born in Bangkok, I guess I had to be the massage guy

[@timelkin838]

@@clarky23 For sure they did and that's why a kidnapped her. I bet it was a north korean that had a happy ending. It's not like they randomally picked her although it seems pretty random until you find out what she did.

[@padthai411]

Thanks that was really interesting.

[@philvecchio6366]

Great video, nicely done.

[@charlie15627]

An unintelligent young man, who had been treated like crap by nearly every person he knew. Was put in a position where he could do whatever he wanted and treat others like crap, if he wished. You figure it out.

[@randymoran67]

A trumptard!

[@charlie15627]

Trumptard, Libtard. Same kind of fool. Just following different ideologies

[@Spartan265]

@@randymoran67 I'm no Trump supporter by any means but y'know calling people trumptards isn't going to get them to be open minded about stuff. Instead you doing that just further makes them think Trump is right. Instead try discussion stuff with people politely. It'll get you far in life.

[@randymoran67]

@@Spartan265 Open minded ? One must have a mind to open first! Lol!

[@mrdumbfellow927]

@@randymoran67 At this point I give your trolling a C- , I applaud your effort with the second post though. If you are being serious I give you a F at being a human-being.

[@wonderweirdo6457]

James was probably emotionally and psychologically vulnerable because of what he'd been through his whole life. He was desperate for a place to fit in and the North Koreans saw the more they put into him the more they got out. They decided to keep him happy to use him for their own purposes and it worked since he died loving the DRNK.

[@sadmanpranto9026]

I thought it's called DPRK (democratic People's Republic of Korea)

[@tripodmasquerade3551]

@@sadmanpranto9026 Yeah, they don't like being called North Korea, in fact, I think it might even be illegal there if my memory serves me right.

[@wonderweirdo6457]

@@sadmanpranto9026 Oopsy

[@MrPoupard]

Impossible not to feel sympathy for him … for his life.

[@baldeagle5297]

@@MrPoupard No, it is possible. Many people have undergone similar trauma yet lived decent, productive lives.

[@Jaggerbush]

I like it more when infographics tells these type of stories. The graphics make it that much better.

[@congoballs9725]

I got a feeling there will be a new Video on this topic

[@steven95N]

*Wife dies* Guess I'll go out to that resturant i love so much.

[@Ontime2day]

In his defense, I think it was the Only restaurant.

[@___LC___]

Guess North Korea will kidnap another wife for me.

[@1fastmex]

😭👌

[@johnk7302]

@@___LC___ yup that's pretty much how it seems to have went down based on the video.

[@happyheals3755]

,ill have 1 thai wife and nr 69 on the side

[@lnfestissumam]

"born in Richmond, VA" Yeah I would defect to North Korea too

[@drezwider]

Facts

[@robertbundick93]

I'd say the heroin and crime but yeah

[@FrothyFawn]

Robert Bundick completely agree, but I’m planning to go into the Marines and be a loyal defender of my Country America

[@jerry85g7]

@@FrothyFawn Try not to kill innocent people.

[@jerry85g7]

@@mr_sir1533 What's wrong with the black people from there?

[@VillagIdiot]

This just became awful relevant.

[@jimsteinway695]

Wow what an amazing story. You’re correct I hadn’t a great childhood but I joined the military and went to college. And my wife and I have had a great life. But how many times does a guy have to get knocked down?

[@reeeec]

Let's be serious His sons are living a high life in a crappy country being with the elites

[@user-my7dg9su3g]

Just because they dont want to let NATO into the country doesn't make the country crappy

[@johnwayne3058]

@@user-my7dg9su3g no but mass starvation does

[@teonyi]

@@user-my7dg9su3g it’s a crappy country, just a fact

[@Layra151301]

@@user-my7dg9su3g people are killed for being different, for not smiling, for following every rule to a T, being lied to every single day, etc. that's why (and more) the country is crappy. So stop. I'm sure they'll welcome you with open arms nowadays so please have at it.

[@Layra151301]

@@user-my7dg9su3g you would have a kirito pfp smh

[@sonnyburnett8725]

Can’t imagine being so unloved as a kid. Living in a car with your brother while mom is out hooking and drinking.

[@nicetrydick]

Sounds like a fun time

[@cleitonfelipe2092]

@@nicetrydick for her lol

[@katherinetutschek4757]

I actually think his mother cared about him. Working as a prostitute is a fast way to make a lot of cash compared to other jobs, especially if she doesn't want to be anywhere too long or leave a paper trail that could be tracked. And night time at bars is where most of your clientele will be. I think the courts just disapproved of her job, and assumed she was a bad mother. If she didn't want the children she wouldn't have taken them.

[@lakshamiganesh8113]

Actually it was his dad that didn't love him ! His father should have been put into prison for abandoning his family !

[@pokemasterx4244]

@@cleitonfelipe2092 no. She didn't do it out of pleasure. It's reminiscent of the mother in Les Miserables who had no other option but to sell herself; the alternative being to starve. It's not really a funny thing to joke about. She did it to survive.

[@JoshDerenburger]

This in mid 2023 when another soldier defected to escape court martial really adds to it

[@wheelyturtles7922]

Can't wait to see the next video after today's news

[@RandomGuyComments]

He's never heard of Square Space or Raid Shadow Legends over in NK. There are *some* benefits

[@andreww4012]

This guys life sounds like one of those novels they'd make you read in school.

[@hiddencrow7907]

I wish

[@DREKOWICK69]

this about to blow up

[@MultiSciGeek]

What a tragic story to be honest! This should be a movie! It's like trying to find the perfect life but each country keeps screwing you over.

[@LucidDream]

He didn't just walk over. He ran in broad daylight through a minefield.

[@ronmeier8850]

Nope no mine-field...

[@comrade4329]

@@ronmeier8850 also watch tower and alot of soldiers

[@Hannibalkakihara]

Its a truly sad story. Having to do that and defect to NORTH KOREA of all places must mean life was pretty bad to him

[@Snibble]

@@sushimidnight9539 Still it's a sad story idiots like that exist and miltiplie.

[@memine5667]

Isn't the point of a dmz is to be weapons free? Aka no mines?

[@rutrem09]

If living in North Korea was good for him...what the hell was going on in Virgina in the 1960?!?!

[@terricksmith8754]

Segregation

[@ericb6390]

Look at him, he looks slow in the head

[@marcusbullock630]

he made more money than *you* So let that sink in- a person you consider 'slow' was more successful than you. You know what that means, right?

[@marcusbullock630]

@Abserd O then simple logic would dictate to follow suit, i mean since you're *SOOOOO* smart, you'd do a better job of it than he, *right* ? It was not a gamble. he saw what was happening and took advantage of it. that's opportunism and it's the most effective survival strategy outside of predator satiation.

[@marcusbullock630]

@Abserd O during an unjust war with no reason behind it, mind you. you cant just throw the dereliction of duty card like that, even a patriot like myself acknowledges this.

[@trewells]

And here we are again, another American soldier goes across the border.

[@goldenghostgod5333]

And then somebody else did it again in 2023 lol.

[@stevez.6805]

He was just living the North Korean dream yo...

[@nicolasmartin9463]

Totally, its my dream life, I would be blessed to see the glorious leader.

[@DaVeganZombie]

In North Korea the government tells you what you dream.

[@AeneasGemini]

Nothing like a dream built upon genocide and a police state

[@Journey_Awaits]

I got in one little fight and Kim Jong Un got scared he said you’re moving with auntie and uncle to Pyongyang

[@Blorb137]

@@AeneasGemini So america then?

[@masonlevine4356]

When my mother was a young girl in rural South Korea, North Korean airplanes would drop fliers urging citizens to defect. They featured drawings of beautiful people, and rolling fields of grain.

[@pietroboggio1642]

Yes..but the truth was so different.!

[@andreasmith6248]

What a horrible trap 😔

[@ArtyomCCCP]

@@pietroboggio1642 NK had a better economy than south between 50s until end of 80s.

[@pietroboggio1642]

Just like URSS and USA...

[@MARfilms]

@@ArtyomCCCP until the end of the 60s. By the 70s North & South Korea became mostly equal in their economy, by the 80s SK started to overtake (Name due to the Boom in Japan which SK had massive trade deals with), and by the 90s the two were no longer even close.

[@tobythagaud]

Bro great video

[@lapislazarus8899]

Dresnok took the only chance ever availed to him for happiness and stability. The USA sure as hell wasn't going to do a thing for him. I say good for him. May he rest in peace.

[@JoseMartinez-er6hx]

"Weren't allowed to marry North Korean women" Escapees: *Woah woah woah*

[@charleswilliams5395]

Not allowed to marry North Korean women ,well I guess them good old boys were banging each other

[@Inbal_Feuchtwanger]

@@charleswilliams5395 NK government literally abducted a romanian woman to be his wife.

[@MI-zt1wv]

Time to escape bois, mission FAILED

[@sirsurnamethefirstofhisnam7986]

@Pepelucho Ramos Arquingathe diplomat couldn’t marry her legally but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t still have sex without anyone noticing

[@Michael_Chandler_Keaton]

@@sirsurnamethefirstofhisnam7986 In North Korea?

[@krisaaron8180]

Keep in mind that even if he changed his mind the moment he got there, it was already too late. He would not be allowed to leave. He would survive by spending the rest of his life saying and doing what was required to make the country look good. We will never know what really happened.

[@boyar1978]

i can easily do that. I talk about how horrible the USA is all the time and no one pays me to do it.

[@deathbysodomy4124]

@@boyar1978 why would they pay you to spit venom and lies?

[@Stellar_Politics]

​@@deathbysodomy4124 "Venom and lies", so all the US poverty, war crimes, imperialism, intervention, disparity, etc is okay with you? If you see any sort of criticism against your country as venom and lies, you realize that's dogmatic and brainwashed thinking?

[@Stellar_Politics]

"He would not be allowed to leave" but North Koreans left to China and the USSR all the time, they can get passports and even to this day you'll see scores of them going on vacation or business trips, literally are allowed to visit 42+ countries, and from those countries, leave into other ones if they wish.

[@nebula2339]

@@Stellar_Politics north koreans aren't allowed to leave are you slow

[@Eric-mh2eq]

Simon, bet you enjoy the sudden upswing in views on this old video.

[@quackersna]

He was so fed up with following orders that he defected to North Korea. Brilliant 😂

[@fo3nixz877]

the grass might be greener, but the snakes are even bigger

[@thereforeayam]

...of course 'the grass' is more green...it says a U.S. soldier defecated on North Korea.

[@fo3nixz877]

@@thereforeayam so he took a number 2 that side? lul si north koreans toilets beter and its defected NOT defecated

[@charliesmith2160]

@@thereforeayam please tell me you didn’t rly think it said defecated, right

[@sus4644]

@@thereforeayam "HE POOPED *ON NORTH KOREA"*

[@johnwayne7673]

I dont think anyone thinks the grass is greener in north Korea

[@noctusoverdroid425]

Hey Simon, when you hit 1 Million, you should do a video about yourself.

[@DrymouthCWW]

Whiiiisssttlllllleeee

[@jaywilliams9294]

We already know about Jonny sins

[@unscenegamers]

Listen he put his professional jigalow to the stars lifestyle behind himself and doesn't want to bring it up again.

[@noctusoverdroid425]

@@Aleikey We're gonna make it happen.

[@sarahburggraf907]

Yessss

[@kelsiewilson]

Now he has a new friend

[@denman2991]

Dresnok died in 2016

[@kelsiewilson]

@@denman2991 oops, you are right. Well, I guess North Korea now has a replacement.

[@Draxler01k]

Now we might have a part 2

[@hamfistsman6267]

I have a feeling his fellow soldiers were giving him hell.

[@aztecwarrior1421]

Only if he was a douchgad

[@ogueyratogeyrat7448]

Bullying in america is common

[@dl2one]

FULL METAL JACKET

[@btg2k]

Unfortunately, in the American Armed Forces, we eat our own.

[@redstorm4111]

Hamfists Man welcome to life in the armed forces

[@Pazaroni436]

There is an old Roman saying: Better be first in the village instead of being second in the city

[@aluisious]

There's a lot more hot chicks in the city. I'll take the #2 chick in Rome over the #1 chick in...some village.

[@Johan-ez5wo]

all Roman sayings are old

[@Aengrod]

@@aluisious lots of used cars

[@busterbiloxi3833]

To Reign in Hell, etc...

[@ghostdeep2542]

Please further elaborate the meaning of that saying.

[@mediahound587]

gives some insight to what might happen with the young man who just defected recently.

[@johnimsdahl9670]

Well done. An amazing story that few North Americans know about.

[@Antman5]

Sounds like someone felt like a plastic bag, drifting through the wind, wanting to start again...

[@kylecupp9649]

He probably felt as thin as a house of cards, and that one blow of wind, caved him in

[@byronsiamelis4507]

Is that a reference from 'The Interview' by any chance?

[@libertyprime619]

@@byronsiamelis4507 no it's a katy Perry song tf

[@kylecupp9649]

@@byronsiamelis4507 is that movie the first time you'd ever heard that song? Katy perry dropped that banger in like 09 🤣

[@byronsiamelis4507]

@@libertyprime619 The movie 'The Interview' is about an interview in North Korea about Kim Jung Un, and as it's a comedy, he ends up having a breakdown because of the lyrics "plastic bag, drifting through the wind, wanting to start again" so since this is a video about North Korea, I assumed that the connection was relevant, but okay.

[@KOTYAR0]

"He went to the army to gain freedom" Nuff said.

[@libertyprime619]

That's more personal that ree democracy

[@raidenthekat2444]

Alot of men did/still do. Its a different type of freedom. Sone want the freedom of a job and the wages it brings. So for an individual with no skills it may be the only option.

[@kthemaster1999]

Propaganda exists in America too, especially at that time

[@jamessandoval5843]

Military saved my life. Ironic. But true

[@nico348]

You got a sequel coming up.

[@r3dd3ath83]

Who's here after Travis King?

[@gmanoffury]

Wait there's wild marijuana in Korea? *D E F E C T S*

[@harrisn3693]

Why else do liberals promote weed? Because it is communist.

[@johnoneill8842]

You could probably find better weed in a gas tanker coming from Mexico

[@ricardoricardo833]

The brazilian hood probably produces better weed

[@tatertot2484]

H369 N369 The fact that you use the terms Liberalism and Communism interchangeably indicates that you have no idea what you’re talking about whatsoever.

[@ericarevalo2701]

@@tatertot2484 liberalism nowadays isn't that far from socialism, which is communism for college kids.

[@S0RGEx]

Honestly? I kinda get it. This man literally had nothing in his life. Nothing that made him happy, nothing to give it meaning, nothing to sustain himself, nothing to look forward to in the future. He quite literally had nothing to lose, so he took a chance. And it seems it worked out for him.

[@taimur_tt7635]

But the America dream was quite literally a dream for him XD

[@taimur_tt7635]

So he decided to take a risk for a brewer future an it all went in his favour

[@taimur_tt7635]

What happened to his little brother though ?

[@thegreatfomo]

@Christopher Grant He's essentially living the American dream in north Korea while there are homeless all over the US

[@Tbiblaine23]

@@thegreatfomo Why are you all over this channel being a North Korean propagandist?

[@TerryDBlack]

03:55 - “options in a career/Korea” 😂

[@ManiaMac1613]

I've heard the private who recently went over into North Korea had a similarly miserable experience in the Army. I wonder how he's doing over there now.

[@bejoysen4468]

Jenkins's life is excellent material for a biopic. The tension between him and Dresnok, him finding love with a fellow captive, etc.

[@jake3736]

Ikr, the movies just write themselves

[@jamiesnack]

@@Elizabeth-vf6zi what

[@n8in8r]

Someone get Nicolas Winding Refn

[@Toy1er]

someone get Harvey Weinstein.

[@n.balhara1243]

Dresnok would be painted a villain in this movie though.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:00 - Chapter 1 - Early life 3:30 - Chapter 2 - Growing up 5:25 - Chapter 3 - Good morning DMZ 8:25 - Chapter 4 - Welcome to the DPRK 10:05 - Chapter 5 - In too deep 12:30 - Chapter 6 - Becoming a celebrity 16:00 - Chapter 7 - Later life & death

[@Em-kd7ts]

Blesss

[@trailerparksupervisor7046]

Wow, you must have a lot of time on your hands.

[@crooked420s5]

Thank you

[@lizzie2103]

Thank you

[@ehrgeiz5649]

@@trailerparksupervisor7046 you’re a trailer park supervisor, I think you have too much time on your hands.

[@williamyoung9401]

When a child is not meant to feel love or welcome by their own family, don't be surprised at what they do later in life.