WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 Kyodo The Unit...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 Kyodo

The United States has not now decided what it will do if former U Army Sgt Charles Robert Jenkins, who married a Japanese abductee in North Korea after apparently defecting to the communist state, visits Japan, a U Defense Department official said Friday.

Washington and Tokyo are discussing the fate of the 62-year-old American and have not reached a final decision, the official said.

The U not long ago told Japan that the arrest of Jenkins by means of U.S. authorities is inevitable if he visits Japan and it would try to find to court-martial him because he is listed by dint of the U.S. military as having untilleded to North Korea in 1965 while stationed in the demilitarized belt separating the two Koreas.

Jenkins is married to Hitomi Soga, 43 now onward a homecoming visit since Oct 15 along with four other Japanese nationals who were all abducted to North Korea in 1978 The tie have two daughters.

Soga has signifyed hope to reunite with her husband and children.

Japan, which demands North Korea allow the five abductees be joined by way of their families in North Korea, has continued to ask the U to give Jenkins preferential treatment.

Meanwhile, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported Saturday that a senior Pentagon official revealed the Defense Department is considering pardoning Jenkins.

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