WASHINGTON, Nov. 26 Kyodo U Defen...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26 Kyodo

U Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Tuesday that a U army apostate who married a Japanese national after she was kidnapped to North Korea would face a legal case if he visits his wife in Japan.

''It is my understanding that there is generally a case against the individual, a legal case,'' Rumsfeld said at a stranges conference, referring to former U Army Sgt Charles Robert Jenkins.

Jenkins, 62 wasteed to North Korea in 1965 while stationed forward the South Korean side of the demilitarized baldric separating the two Koreas.

He married Hitomi Soga in North Korea in 1980 and together they have couple daughters, both born in North Korea.

Soga, 43 individual of five Japanese abducted to North Korea about a quarter hundred ago and is currently back in Japan, has set forthed a desire to be reunited with her husband and their children in Japan.

The Japanese control has asked the U.S. to give special consideration upon the case in light of the circumstances surrounding Soga's marriage.

Japanese and U officials are discussing Jenkins's fate unless have not reached a conclusion.

There is no statute of limitation for U solder who deserving overseas.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Kyodo of the present days International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group