I mean he is detained. Anyone who enters another country without authorization tends to be detained, more so when they are or were recently part of a hostile armed force. He’s not free to just wander around. He entered the country illegally, was last part of an occupying force that wants to destroy the DPRK, is legally at war with them for 70 years, and they’re likely trying to decide what to do with him, investigate his story, ascertain if he’s a spy or there’s anything off about him like if he’s a threat, etc.
The thing is, what skills does he have to offer them? He probably can’t speak the native language (if he can that would make a huge difference in being accepted because he could actually integrate), he’s going to have culture shock. He’s frankly a risk that if they do accept him, he’ll leave anyways after a while because of the quality of life (no iPhone, no Facebook, no holidays or cultural norms like he’s used to, language barrier, etc), go back to the US, be coached to spin a story of his torture and the horrors of the place in exchange for a book deal or speaking tour and money and then it will have blown up in the DPRK’s face. They consider these things and many others when deciding.
If he’s sincere I wish him only the best and hope he can find a great life in the DPRK but there are many barriers to success.
All very true, but also all not without precedent, like James Dresnok. Granted, that was before the days of people going on anti-DPRK propaganda book tours, which is a very real risk like you pointed out. He would definitely be under an immense amount of scrutiny, as he should.
There is a chance, depending on how long he was stationed in SK (I didn’t find that detail at first blance) that he may have learned at least some nominal Korean while there. I would wager not a lot, given my experience with US military in my own country, but it’s a foundation at least.
I do hope that if he is sincere he can live a full life there. I spent some time there, and while I was not planning to live there longterm there are definitely some opportunities for foreigners. It’s honestly probably even more comfortable now than the days of the Korean War deserters, there are a lot more modern amenities that westerners may expect. No iPhones, but most people do have smart phones and access to the Kwangmyon intranet, for example. Is that enough for him? I have no idea.
I mean he is detained. Anyone who enters another country without authorization tends to be detained, more so when they are or were recently part of a hostile armed force. He’s not free to just wander around. He entered the country illegally, was last part of an occupying force that wants to destroy the DPRK, is legally at war with them for 70 years, and they’re likely trying to decide what to do with him, investigate his story, ascertain if he’s a spy or there’s anything off about him like if he’s a threat, etc.
The thing is, what skills does he have to offer them? He probably can’t speak the native language (if he can that would make a huge difference in being accepted because he could actually integrate), he’s going to have culture shock. He’s frankly a risk that if they do accept him, he’ll leave anyways after a while because of the quality of life (no iPhone, no Facebook, no holidays or cultural norms like he’s used to, language barrier, etc), go back to the US, be coached to spin a story of his torture and the horrors of the place in exchange for a book deal or speaking tour and money and then it will have blown up in the DPRK’s face. They consider these things and many others when deciding.
If he’s sincere I wish him only the best and hope he can find a great life in the DPRK but there are many barriers to success.
All very true, but also all not without precedent, like James Dresnok. Granted, that was before the days of people going on anti-DPRK propaganda book tours, which is a very real risk like you pointed out. He would definitely be under an immense amount of scrutiny, as he should.
There is a chance, depending on how long he was stationed in SK (I didn’t find that detail at first blance) that he may have learned at least some nominal Korean while there. I would wager not a lot, given my experience with US military in my own country, but it’s a foundation at least.
I do hope that if he is sincere he can live a full life there. I spent some time there, and while I was not planning to live there longterm there are definitely some opportunities for foreigners. It’s honestly probably even more comfortable now than the days of the Korean War deserters, there are a lot more modern amenities that westerners may expect. No iPhones, but most people do have smart phones and access to the Kwangmyon intranet, for example. Is that enough for him? I have no idea.