Fifteen year’s in a North Korean prison with hard labor is the future for American tourist, Otto Warmbier, the 21-year-old University of Virginia undergrad, convicted of subversion. The trial in the North Korean Supreme Court only took an hour to convict and sentence.
The college student was first tried in the media, where he was forced to confess, through tears, that he had attempted to steal a banner. The North Korean government said he committed “an anti-state crime with ‘the tacit connivance of the U.S. government and under its manipulation,'” yet it is difficult to see how the United States was connected with this petty crime.
Warmbeir begged for forgiveness for this alleged ‘hostile act’, saying that his attempted theft was to bring home a trophy from the hotel in which he was staying. Yanggakdo International Hotel, like many hotels in North Korea has areas off-limits to foreigners. It was in this part of the hotel that Warmbeir attempted to lift the banner.
Follow up on the rest of the story on the next page.
Amen, to that!
Brilliant idea. We will see how this guy ends up after being there for 15 years
What nonsense. He tried to steal a banner. Yes, he was wrong but fifteen years hard labor is ridiculous. Time to go in and get him.
Norene Jamesley – Yes I understand about China, but if anyone is vocal about the regime, they will get arrested. College students now days, don’t know when to shut their mouths. No discretion. The many countries I have visited, lived and worked in have changed drastically in the last ten years. The city in Germany where I lived and worked is now flooded with Muslims, and friends tell me it is unsafe to be out after dark.
I can’t feel sorry for the guy. He had no business being in North Korean. He certainly must know they are hostile to the United States and American citizens. Stealing should not be condoned anywhere, anytime. Lesson learned the hard way.
I wonder if they would take all the illegal from us
And him along with his liberal parents are surprised?
After his fifteen years, guess he’ll go to Iran and test the waters. That is if he lives.
He made two mistakes # 1 he went to North Korea # 2 he went to North Korea, now I bet he wished he’d gone to Hawaii instead.
Why would anyone go to this$#%&!@*hole of a country?
My advice for others is learn from this and stay away from this hell hole.