An American student, Otto Warmbier, has been sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for stealing a propaganda poster from his hotel; this roughly translates to “crimes against the state” in North Korean-speak.
Warmbier is just 21 years old, and a student at the University of Virginia. He was arrested on January 2 this year – just as he was about to board his flight. In February, he gave a tearful apology, confessing to the grievous crime of wanting to bring home a “trophy” because his church group had asked him to. At the conference, he admitted that he had “committed the crime of taking down a political slogan from the staff holding area of the Yanggakdo International Hotel” adding that “the aim of my task was to harm the motivation and work ethic of the Korean people. This was a very foolish aim.”
The KCNA state news agency said that he was trying”to destroy the country’s unity,” and that he was “manipulated” by the US government.
“Justice” came swift for him; his “trial” lasted just one hour. The sentence meted out to him is more severe than that which other foreign prisoners had received in the past. A sign of the rising tensions between the hermit kingdom and its adversaries perhaps, with Warmbier caught in the middle as a convenient whipping boy.
The North has been handed its toughest sanctions ever by the UN, with the backing of even its long-standing ally China. China is wary of the movement of anti-missile defense systems into the Korea peninsular.
The sanctions were handed down in response to North Korea’s fourth nuclear test, as well as a satellite launch. North Korea has also lashed out against the joint military drills of South Korea and the US, the “largest ever,” by threatening “indiscriminate” nuclear attacks against the two.
Sources: NY Times, BBC, Washington Times, CNN
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You americans kill me! This is some funny shit right here! I nominee this guy for an Oscar!
This is a death sentence by hard labor and working in concentration camp style conditions. They beat them, starve them, and quite literally work them to death. Of course he would cry. Compassion is ideally a universal trait, not dependent on borders or nationality.
Is there something missing in this story? Why would someone in his right mind visit a hostile nation – on religious grounds during a cold war??? that is beyond naivety that was downright stupid!
OBAMA, go get him you cunt!!
Mick, calm down, use your language skills
Obama can do F all the USA is not the king of the world in North Korea obama is nothing
Thank you and now could we please go deeper into this: “USA is not the king of the world´´ stuff. It´s lng overdue to make that clear and especially that not all western countries work under american rule. Most even hate the worldwide political presence america wants to achive.
Someone has to get him out of there!!!
Why?
North Korea would probably be willing to go to war over it they just need a reason to be pushed and they could be doing this to make the USA start first so they dont look like the bad guys to the people living in north korea as its well know North Korea’s government dont like the USA government much
According to a South Korean News Agent, they said that Kim Jong Un has apparently gained 30 KG Of Weight, shame, knowing he’s gonna die of a heart attack when he should die from an Sniper Round to the head
give this guy a Darwin award
Americunt breaks the law in a foreign country, gets punished. Americunts scream for justice.
Americunts kill thousands of civilians in foreign countries. Nobody gives a fucking shit.
Well said.
Americans expect foreign visitors to obey our laws, but get all bent outta shape when an American breaks a foreign law and has to pay the consequences!
Who would have anticipated 15 years hard labour for stealing a poster?
Sure, he didn’t think about the consequences. It’s very hard to synthesise just how strict and cruel the North Korean dictatorship is.
Even Santa has gone cynical in this generation.
What is the world coming to?
Yankees want to have rights in North Korea? And for breaking their laws?!…
This is just a poor dumb kid that made a mistake. He didn’t go over there with a bomb strapped to him, he took down a fucking poster. Granted, he had no business being in that shithole in the first place, but he sure as hell doesn’t deserve this.
Why would anyone in their right mind knowingly commit a crime like that in a country that is run by a dictator and brainwashed by propaganda 24/7? What kind of church asks one of their members to commit a crime while visiting a hostile nation?! If you’re brave enough to visit North Korea, obey North Korea’s laws whether you like them or not. Otherwise, pay the consequences!
First of all I am an American citizen. Is the punishment harsh, sure. But most Americans need to get past the fact we are not untouchable, especially on foreign soil. We do not have a free ticket to do whatever it is we want because of “Merica”. I have travelled all over the world and have seen the arrogance of my countrymen in country after country. Then they wonder why there is such a distaste for us. Show some respect and it will be shown back. Don’t break the law and you won’t go to jail. If you choose to break the law be ready for whatever comes your way.