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“Crossing ̽��ֱ��Line” describes how Dresnok, a poor orphan from Virginia, was sent with his unit to guard the peace in South Korea in 1962, but instead defected to the Communist North.

It will be shown at Trinity College on Wednesday and the free event will be open to all. ̽��ֱ��film will be presented by co-producer Nick Bonner, who will also be taking questions immediately after the screening.

To reach North Korea, Dresnok walked across the demilitarised zone, which is the most heavily fortified area on earth, packed with 2.5million landmines. Once on the other side, he became a North Korean national hero, publishing propaganda pamphlets that vilified US servicemen and extolled the virtues of the Cold War enemy. He also worked for the Korean people's army as an English teacher, learning the language and the system.

Dresnok later found fame as an actor in North Korean propaganda films, in which he tended to be typecast as an evil American. Some 44 years on, he still lives in the capital Pyongyang, the heart of one of the most anti-American societies in the world. He has now been there for twice as long as he lived in the US.

“Crossing ̽��ֱ��Line” was made by two prize-winning British documentary filmmakers, Dan Gorden and Nick Bonner and was screened by the BBC last year. In making the film, the pair had astonishing access to Dresnok, his daily life in North Korea and the families of three other American GIs who also defected. They were even able to speak to the North Korean soldier who captured Dresnok in 1962.

̽��ֱ��screening has been organised by the ̽��ֱ��'s East Asia Institute, part of the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, which plans to offer teaching in Modern Korean Studies from 2008.

̽��ֱ��film will be shown on Wednesday, 6 February at 4.30pm in the Winstanley Lecture Hall, Trinity College, Cambridge. All are welcome.

Further information about the showing can be obtained from Dr. John Swenson-Wright at the East Asia Institute, on 01223 335172 or Email: jhs22@cam.ac.uk