Roberta Mika Jenkins

Roberta Mika Jenkins is the daughter of Charles Robert Jenkins, a former United States Army sergeant who defected to North Korea in 1965, and Hitomi Soga, a Japanese woman abducted by North Korean agents in 1978. Born and raised in North Korea, Roberta Mika's early life was shaped by the unique circumstances of her parents' situation.

In 2002, Roberta Mika's mother, Hitomi Soga, was allowed to return to Japan, leaving her family behind in North Korea. This separation lasted until 2004 when, at the age of 21, Roberta Mika was reunited with her mother in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Following the Jakarta meeting, Roberta Mika, along with her parents and sister, relocated to Japan in July 2004. The family settled in Soga's hometown of Mano on Sado Island, beginning a new chapter in their lives. The transition to life outside North Korea proved challenging for Roberta Mika and her sister. Japanese officials observed that the sisters, accustomed to North Korean living conditions, initially attempted to perform tasks like mopping floors and washing clothes in their hotel suite, highlighting the cultural and lifestyle differences they faced.