21 year old sentenced in N Korea

I don't know if anyone has been following the story.....long story short, a US college student went over to No. Korea (I believe with a church/religious group). One evening he pulled a NK government banner off a wall in a hotel. He was arrested for it and sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in No K.

Now first, that is ABSURD and I feel AWFUL for him and his family. But WHY would anyone go over to NK.....like where were his parents, nothing good can EVER come of going to NK.

Re: 21 year old sentenced in N Korea

I read this the other day. I wondered why anyone would ever want to go there. They are not kind to any one. They found him guilty in a one hour trial. what a joke.

I mean he was stupid, no doubt, for taking the propaganda..but 15 yrs hard labor. I wonder if any diplomat or US can appeal on his behalf.

Re: 21 year old sentenced in N Korea

I feel bad for him, but I'm pretty sure he's being used as a bargaining chip for something. NK was just in the news recently for something, so this is probably connected. It's not totally clear if he even did it. Based on previous "cases," he probably won't even be held as long as his sentence is. There was a crazy case a few years ago of someone (Matthew Miller) who went over there to be arrested. That was a crazy circumstance.

They have guards watching you all the time on these tours. I don't think his "confession" is legit. You can YouTube a lot of tours that people have uploaded.

As for going there, there are tour companies that do this. My husband's school friend has been a few times because he has done his PhD in children's culture of North Korea. For non-Americans you can take a train from China and Americans must take a flight from China.

DH really, really wants to go, but I keep saying no. I would not feel comfortable as an American there. We did a DMZ tour when we went to S. Korea and he has shut up about visiting since then .

Re: 21 year old sentenced in N Korea

I was looking to see if anyone is talking about this.

I find the details of this whole story so vague.

It seems that he has some ties to the government but again no details on this. When he is crying he is begging the government to help him as if they put him up to this somehow.

This trip makes no sense. WHO vacations in n Korea?

There was some talk that he was saying he wanted to stay - why???

I just don't get anything about this story.

21 year old sentenced in N Korea

1. Why go to North Korea? Why not? If you are on a mission for mercy or religion, press, thrill seekers, etc. So many reasons. Good reasons or just wild and crazy ones. None exactly surprising ones though.

2. Why would any idiot who would go to a country like that purposely bring attention to oneself why defacing their propaganda? Souvenir, to send a message, on a dare, because they can? Did he at all? I mean lots of people go and return safely by keeping a low profile.

3. Do you feel sympathetic to the man who sticks his head in a lion's mouth and get's hurt? Do you feel bad for the adventurer who climbs without safety gear? Do you blame the parents of a grown adult who refuses to put on a helmet on a motorcycle? Who doesn't realize North Korea is risky?

He's 21
He's an adult
He went there on his own
He either did or did not do something stupid (either way, doesn't matter)
He is now caught in this political shitshow. Maybe he knows Dennis Rodman?

My Father would warn us "Don't die stupid" that meant so many things. This is one of them. If my grown child was this stupid, she and I were probably already barely on speaking terms by this point. This isn't an overnight shocking stupid moment. I have family who'd do something this dumb and frankly I'd have to sigh and hope for the best in the next 15yrs because ain't no one caring about *MY* family.

It's all about Money. The kind I don't have. But the Media wants us to buy into the story they are selling. After all it *IS* an election year.

21 year old sentenced in N Korea

I dont know the details of this guys background, but he is on video trying to take the poster off the wall. I have ZERO sympathy for someone who chooses to do something so ignorant as traveling to N Korea and stealing something. I think the US should let them keep him the full 15 years...

Re: 21 year old sentenced in N Korea

The whole thing seems off to me. I don't know why any American would travel to N. Korea in the midst of everything going on. Furthermore, knowing how risky it is to travel there to begin with, why would you ever attempt...even as a joke...to steal propaganda? He's on video taking down the sign.

Regardless, I feel for the kid. He's young, he did something stupid, and the charges being brought against him are just insane! 15 years hard labor? It's cruel and unjust.

21 year old sentenced in N Korea

I feel the same way about this kid as I do about the idiot missionaries that go to (pick a country) that is NOT welcoming to Christianity, and they end up arrested for teaching (wait for it) Christianity.

Not only was he in a communist state, but he was in the MOTHER of all communist states.

No one will deny that 15 years hard labor is fair or right.

But in that country they can do whatever the hell they want. ESPECIALLY if its sticking it to the US.

Why they went (did I see on a CHURCH trip) to NK is beyond me.

Re: 21 year old sentenced in N Korea

I had heard he was a UVA student who went over to NK on a school trip. Someone close to him asked for a souvenir c from his trip. They showed video of him taking the poster. I am sorry. You have to know before going they are not favorable to Americans. Frankly, defacing public property is a crime here too. He was an idiot. I would not have gone or let my kid go to NK and I would expect them to know not to deface public property to antagonize another nation.

With that said, I went to the Olympics in Atlanta. I watched the archery competition. Just before the games I had hurt my ankle quite badly and partially tore the ligaments so I was in a boot cast and crutches. Because of my injury I sat in the handicap seating as I could not climb all of the open air bleachers. Unbeknownst to me, was the delegation from NK. They ended up asking me to take a photo of them with the second place winner. I obliged them. They bowed to me so I feebly courtesy in reply. They gave me a pin from the NK archery association Olympics committee. Next to me was a US government official. He asked to see the pin, and returned it to me thanking me for helping US and NK relations..

Re: 21 year old sentenced in N Korea

Just found this press conference where he explains everything.

Still very strange to me.

And he throws the US under the bus big time. But i guess anything to avoid that hard labor prison!!

Message edited 3/21/2016 3:26:19 PM.

21 year old sentenced in N Korea

I may be cruel but he deserves it. You don't go over to a country like North Korea and do stupid shit.

Re: 21 year old sentenced in N Korea

Message edited 3/21/2016 3:36:14 PM.

Re: 21 year old sentenced in N Korea

Re: 21 year old sentenced in N Korea

Re: 21 year old sentenced in N Korea

Re: 21 year old sentenced in N Korea

Re: 21 year old sentenced in N Korea

OK I watched the 37 mins.

Things that stuck out to me:

Warmbier mentions that his family is very poor and is in a desperate situation. I think this is so the people of NK know that life is not good in America. If an attack were to happen from the Americans again, the North Korean people would be OK.

He mentions that he is the oldest SON. Isn't having sons in Korean culture very important? So I think this plays on shaming him in some way. He even gave all addresses as to shame him more.

The slogan inspires the people's love for the system and dear leader. I think this was said to say that the Americans respect the government of NK.

The mention of the church- NK doesn't have religion. I think this is to mention that churches and religions do evil things. Again, so the citizens won't want to turn to religion. He mentions that you can find info on the church on the Internet. They don't have Internet. He also mentions that the church and our government have a close relationship. Christianity is also pretty big in South Korea, AFAIK. Why mot mention the two major enemies of NK?

As to the money story from the friend's mother? That doesn't add up. The only thing I can come up with is that this is showing how bad capitalism is; it leads people to do bad things. It also suggests that the US government was behind this.

It just goes on and on. This is for the people. NK is using this for propaganda. He isn't even allowed to say North Korea. He always says DPR Korea. I even question (warning: tin foil hat is on) if he was kidnapped (they have done this before in a different circumstance) and the video was staged. It's not easy to leave your room in the hotel and get down to the staff floor (at least in one documentary I watched).

It's like "terrorism" has hit NK. The questions about how he prepared for it in the US. This is their major story there, it seems.

There is no way he planned to buy a larger suitcase in NK! I don't think there is even a market for suitcases there. I mean no one can leave. There are barely any cars!

Then the emotional bit at the end? That's just so N Korean people can see the real enemy is the US.

And it's almost April. This happened in January. This was planned. There is no legal process in NK.

Sorry for my rambling (and I still want to say more)! NK fascinates me. That and I watch far too many documentaries on North Korea.

Re: 21 year old sentenced in N Korea

I feel awful for this man and the people of NK...my aunt and uncle are missionaries in South Korea and they help refugees assimilate into society. From the stories they tell, it is unlike anything we can even fathom in NK. The things we take for granted here are not even imaginable to the NK refugees.

Re: 21 year old sentenced in N Korea

21 year old sentenced in N Korea

BTW the audio works on YouTube but you have to turn it all the way up!

Re: 21 year old sentenced in N Korea

Re: 21 year old sentenced in N Korea

Re: 21 year old sentenced in N Korea

Posted by klingklang77

Posted by lipglossjunky73

Posted by klingklang77

OK I watched the 37 mins.

Things that stuck out to me:

Warmbier mentions that his family is very poor and is in a desperate situation. I think this is so the people of NK know that life is not good in America. If an attack were to happen from the Americans again, the North Korean people would be OK.

He mentions that he is the oldest SON. Isn't having sons in Korean culture very important? So I think this plays on shaming him in some way. He even gave all addresses as to shame him more.

The slogan inspires the people's love for the system and dear leader. I think this was said to say that the Americans respect the government of NK.

The mention of the church- NK doesn't have religion. I think this is to mention that churches and religions do evil things. Again, so the citizens won't want to turn to religion. He mentions that you can find info on the church on the Internet. They don't have Internet. He also mentions that the church and our government have a close relationship. Christianity is also pretty big in South Korea, AFAIK. Why mot mention the two major enemies of NK?

As to the money story from the friend's mother? That doesn't add up. The only thing I can come up with is that this is showing how bad capitalism is; it leads people to do bad things. It also suggests that the US government was behind this.

It just goes on and on. This is for the people. NK is using this for propaganda. He isn't even allowed to say North Korea. He always says DPR Korea. I even question (warning: tin foil hat is on) if he was kidnapped (they have done this before in a different circumstance) and the video was staged. It's not easy to leave your room in the hotel and get down to the staff floor (at least in one documentary I watched).

It's like "terrorism" has hit NK. The questions about how he prepared for it in the US. This is their major story there, it seems.

There is no way he planned to buy a larger suitcase in NK! I don't think there is even a market for suitcases there. I mean no one can leave. There are barely any cars!

Then the emotional bit at the end? That's just so N Korean people can see the real enemy is the US.

And it's almost April. This happened in January. This was planned. There is no legal process in NK.

Sorry for my rambling (and I still want to say more)! NK fascinates me. That and I watch far too many documentaries on North Korea.

Yes - you nailed a lot of odd things I noticed as well but couldn't pick up on. This is so fricken odd

Take a look at this former prisoner and his language:

Same freaking thing. I do find his accent strange. I have more articles if you are interested

Re: 21 year old sentenced in N Korea

Posted by lipglossjunky73

Posted by klingklang77

Posted by lipglossjunky73

Posted by klingklang77

OK I watched the 37 mins.

Things that stuck out to me:

Warmbier mentions that his family is very poor and is in a desperate situation. I think this is so the people of NK know that life is not good in America. If an attack were to happen from the Americans again, the North Korean people would be OK.

He mentions that he is the oldest SON. Isn't having sons in Korean culture very important? So I think this plays on shaming him in some way. He even gave all addresses as to shame him more.

The slogan inspires the people's love for the system and dear leader. I think this was said to say that the Americans respect the government of NK.

The mention of the church- NK doesn't have religion. I think this is to mention that churches and religions do evil things. Again, so the citizens won't want to turn to religion. He mentions that you can find info on the church on the Internet. They don't have Internet. He also mentions that the church and our government have a close relationship. Christianity is also pretty big in South Korea, AFAIK. Why mot mention the two major enemies of NK?

As to the money story from the friend's mother? That doesn't add up. The only thing I can come up with is that this is showing how bad capitalism is; it leads people to do bad things. It also suggests that the US government was behind this.

It just goes on and on. This is for the people. NK is using this for propaganda. He isn't even allowed to say North Korea. He always says DPR Korea. I even question (warning: tin foil hat is on) if he was kidnapped (they have done this before in a different circumstance) and the video was staged. It's not easy to leave your room in the hotel and get down to the staff floor (at least in one documentary I watched).

It's like "terrorism" has hit NK. The questions about how he prepared for it in the US. This is their major story there, it seems.

There is no way he planned to buy a larger suitcase in NK! I don't think there is even a market for suitcases there. I mean no one can leave. There are barely any cars!

Then the emotional bit at the end? That's just so N Korean people can see the real enemy is the US.

And it's almost April. This happened in January. This was planned. There is no legal process in NK.

Sorry for my rambling (and I still want to say more)! NK fascinates me. That and I watch far too many documentaries on North Korea.

Yes - you nailed a lot of odd things I noticed as well but couldn't pick up on. This is so fricken odd

Take a look at this former prisoner and his language:

Same freaking thing. I do find his accent strange. I have more articles if you are interested

I am interested!

Why wouldnt he answer questions about his family?

This is so creepy!!!