James Joseph Dresnok

James Joseph Dresnok (November 24, 1941 – November 2016) was an American-born North Korean actor, translator and teacher. One of six American soldiers to defect to North Korea after the Korean War.

After defecting, Dresnok worked as an actor in propaganda movies, some directed by Kim Jong-il, and as an English teacher in Pyongyang. He was featured on the CBS magazine program 60 Minutes on January 28, 2007, as the last United States defector alive in North Korea. He was also the subject of a documentary movie, Crossing the Line which was shown at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.World Documentary Competition, “Crossing the Line” (2006)  2007 Sundance Film Festival. Accessed January 28, 2007.

In April 2017, a Western news organization that focuses on North Korea reported that Dresnok had died the previous year. On 21 August 2017, Dresnok's sons confirmed that he had died of a stroke in November 2016.

References

Category:1941 births
Category:2016 deaths
Category:Actors from Virginia
Category:Educators from Virginia
Category:Military people from Virginia
Category:American movie actors
Category:American teachers
Category:Deaths from stroke
Category:North Korean people
Category:People from Norfolk, Virginia