Posted on 11/29/2013 10:31:42 PM PST by Jet Jaguar
South Korea (AP) -- North Korea state media claimed Saturday that an elderly U.S. tourist detained for more than a month has apologized for alleged crimes during the Korean War and for "hostile acts" against the state during a recent trip.
North Korean authorities released video showing 85-year-old Merrill Newman, wearing glasses, a blue button-down shirt and tan trousers, reading his alleged apology, which was dated Nov. 9 and couldn't be independently confirmed.
Pyongyang has been accused of previously coercing statements from detainees. There was no way to reach Newman and determine the circumstances of the alleged confession.
"I have been guilty of a long list of indelible crimes against DPRK government and Korean people," Newman purportedly wrote in a four-page statement, adding: "Please forgive me."
The statement, carried in the North's official Korean Central News Agency, said the war veteran allegedly attempted to meet with any surviving soldiers he had trained during the Korean War to fight North Korea, and that he admitted to killing civilians and brought an e-book criticizing North Korea. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.
It wasn't clear what would happen to Newman now. But the statement alleges that Newman says if he goes back to the U.S. he will tell the truth about the country - a possible indication that Newman could be released.
The apology can be seen as Pyongyang taking steps needed to release Newman, said Yoo Ho-Yeol, a professor of North Korea studies at Korea University in Seoul. North Korea likely issued the confession in the form of an apology to resolve Newman's case quickly without starting legal proceedings, Yoo said.
North Korea is extremely sensitive about any criticism and regularly accuses Washington and Seoul of s
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Ransom money paid...?
He brought an e-book!
Oh noes. Da Horrer.
And immediately after he apologized, they took his testicles out of the laundry wringer.
Has anyone ever explained why he was in this dangerous place in the first place? Is he some kind of reckless wannabe liberal martyr?
Right out of the Commie playbook.
Squeeze a confession out of them.
An 85 year old man shouldn’t be hard for experts to squeeze a confession out of.
Vet. He wanted to go back and see where he fought.
Great move for their budding tourism industry.
Thuggish state in need of really big mushroom!!!!!
He was a Korean war veteran.
I wish him well but my god whatever would possess this man to return to that hell hole...not a very well thought out move on his part.
Perhaps to honor his compatriots who were killed on what is now NK soil?
I still have a cousin there.
My dad wanted to visit SK, who enthusiastically honors Korean war vets, but his health did not allow it.
It’s nice to want things.
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