Abducted foreigners have no chance of returning to their country even after their death
International Conference on the North Korean Abduction Held
520 foreigners from 12 countries were taken to the North

Chosun Daily
Nov. 1, 2010


“When I die, do not bury my body or scatter my ashes in this cursed land of North Korea. Please do so in the ocean. In that way, I can go back to my home, Romania, and to my dear family.”

This was the last wish of Doina Bumbea who was abducted by a North Korean agent in Rome, Italy, in October 1978 at the age of 27 and died in 1997. With her dying breath, Bumbea, a Romanian woman, told her will to her close friend, Charles Jenkins. Jenkins, an American soldier dispatched to South Korea, defected to North Korea in 1965.. He arrived in Japan in 2004 after the return of his Japanese wife, Hitomi Soga.

Gabriel Bumbea (42), younger brother of Doina Bumbea, came to Korea to participate in the “International Coalition for the Resolution of the North Korean Abductions,” held in Koreana Hotel and Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul from October 31 to November 2.

He said, “I heard that I can see North Korea from Imjingak, a park located on the banks of the Imjin River. It is my hope to see my nephews in North Korea as soon as possible.”

Doina Bumbea majored in Art in Romania and moved to Rome after getting married to an Italian man in 1970. Gabrial Bumbea said, “I talked with my sister more than twice a week.

In October 1978, she said she got a chance to display her work in a gallery in Japan. And that was the last conversation I had with her.” He added, “I heard from Mr. Jenkins that my sister was abducted by a North Korean agent and died in North Korea.”

Doina Bumbea married Joseph Dresnok, an American soldier who defected to North Korea, and gave birth to two sons. The picture of Doina’s second son, Gabriel Dresnok, is saved on Gabriel Bumbea’s laptop. Mr. Bumbea said that the eyes, nose and mouth of his nephew look very similar to that of his son’s.

He also mentioned that his sister gave the name Gabriel to her son, missing her family greatly. Doina Bumbea’s hope of coming back to Romania, even in the form of ashes, was not realized. According to Gabriel Bumbea, Mr. Jenkins had intended to scatter her ashes in the ocean when he was authorized to travel, but the North Korean regime found out about it and took her remains.

Nishioka Tsutomu, Professor at Tokyo Christian University and Chairman of the National Association for the Rescue of Japanese Kidnapped by North Korea, said, “Charles Jenkins lived in the same neighborhood in Pyongyang as three other US soldiers who had defected to North Korea, and their wives were all abducted from different countries, including Japan, Romania, Thailand, and Lebanon.”

He also mentioned that the abduction of foreigners by North Korea began in 1976, and, as of today, a total of 520 people have been taken to North Korea from 12 countries, including South Korea, Japan, France, Italy, Netherlands, China, and Thailand.

Anocha Panjoy, from Thailand, was abducted to North Korea from Macao in May 1978 at the age of 23. Her nephew, Banjong Panjoy, said, “My grandfather, who was a Korean War veteran, desperately wanted to see her before he dies, but passed away only three months before Mr. Jenkins delivered the news that my aunt was still alive.”

This event is being hosted by the Korean War Abductees’ Family Union and sponsored by the Ministry of Unification, the Japanese Embassy in Korea, and Chosun Daily. 150 family members of the abductees from South Korea, Japan, Romania, and Thailand, as well as 200 members of civic groups of Korea and Japan are participating in this event to seek solutions for addressing the issue of North Korean abductions.