Posted on 03/18/2016 10:11:00 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
North Korea has released a grainy video that it claims shows American student Otto Warmbier attempting to steal a propaganda banner from a hotel — an accusation for which he received 15 years of hard labor.
The short clip at the Yanggakdo International Hotel in Pyongyang shows an unidentifiable figure removing a sign from a wall before placing it on the floor.
The banner in the hotel apparently says: "Let's arm ourselves strongly with Kim Jong Il patriotism," referring to the isolated state's leader who died in 2011.
The short security-camera footage could not be verified, and the clip shows a brightly lit corridor in the hotel supposedly in the early hours of January 1, when Warmbier was accused of taking the sign.
North Korea regularly blacks out many buildings because of resource shortages in the country.
Warmbier was arrested as he attempted to leave the country in January and later made a televised "confession" saying he had taken the sign to bring back as a "trophy."
The 21-year-old student, who had visited the isolated state as a tourist, had said during his confession that he had tried to steal the banner for an acquaintance who wanted to hang it in her church.
The North Korean state news agency KCNA earlier said that the University of Virginia student's offense was "pursuant to the US government's hostile policy" and that he was convicted under an article of the criminal code dealing with subversion.
Foreigners are often detained in North Korea, where they are used by Pyongyang to exert diplomatic pressure.
But the rogue state has often imposed stiff sentences before releasing prisoners, and many of those who have confessed later say they were forced to do so.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
Fool of the Year Award. The North Korean Military is not known for it’s compassion. You couldn’t even use ‘being drunk’ as an excuse for this. He had to know, as a young, well dressed, white, American male, that he would be under a microscope no matter where he went in that country. Funny thing is, I don’t see his family on the news wringing their handkerchiefs for him. Maybe he refused to listen.
Went to the Caymans once. You could get on a plane (I didn’t) and fly to Cuba for a day trip. Cuba, supposedly, wouldn’t stamp your passport, if you were American. So no “record” of your visit.
There’s little the US can do if people want to fly to a friendly country, and then fly to unfriendly one.
This kid did a dumb thing.
My guess he will never serve more than a year. The Norks are going to enjoy showing that pic of him crying to their people. I don’t blame the kid for crying.
He still is someone’s baby boy and I don’t know what I would do if that was my son. Probably, for starters, tell him never to go to N Korea
The mannerisms of the person shown taking down the poster in the video are identical to someone of Asian culture. Watch the stride towards the wall, and the way that they bent at the waist. That person was not this kid.
He probably thought it was out of date, so they wouldn't mind......................
Poor guy. Nothing can be worse than that.
Really hard for me to generate any sympathy for this guy. From what I understand he goes over there and pulls some stupid prank in North Korea.
To me, this is emblematic of Millennials (primarily) in this country who think the world owes each of them their personal safe space to do whatever they want.
Sucks to be smacked by reality.
And another thing. Are there any real Americans left who do not break down and start blubbering for all the mortified world to watch at your personal discomfort> I include the previously held US Sailor in this as well.
How many Americans have been captured and tortured in war and who have done more to maintain their dignity than these simpering wimps. Sheesh. Grow up. Have some self-respect and dignity on behalf of your country. We have become a country of Facebook-Starbucks-Netfix-Twitter sissies.
YOU CAPITALIST STOOGE!
YOU STEAL MOST INSPIRATIONAL MESSAGE FOR OUR PEACE LOVING PEOPLE FROM OUR DEAR LEADER!
YOU MUST PAY FOR YOUR IMPERIALISM!
What are you talking about? He was caught with it, admitted he took it, and planned to leave the country with it.
Wait till he does his 15 he will look 100...If he even makes it
I’m sure if he had just asked the hotel’s political commissar for the banner, he would have gotten it for free.
Instead, he will enjoy free healthcare for the next few years.
“How many Americans have been captured and tortured in war and who have done more to maintain their dignity than these simpering wimps”
In order to maintain one’s dignity, one must have it initially.
Blah Blah blah..doesnt matter its NK
Former guard Ahn Myong-chol describes the conditions in the camp as harsh and life-threatening.[23] He recalls the shock he felt upon his first arrival at the camp, where he likened the prisoners to walking skeletons, dwarfs, and cripples in rags.[12][24] Ahn estimates that about 30% of the prisoners have deformities, such as torn off ears, smashed eyes, crooked noses, and faces covered with cuts and scars resulting from beatings and other mistreatment. Around 2,000 prisoners, he says, have missing limbs, but even prisoners who need crutches to walk must still work.[25] Prisoners get 180 g (6.3 oz) of corn per meal (two times a day), with almost no vegetables and no meat.[26] The only meat in their diets is from rats, snakes or frogs that they catch.[12][27] Ahn estimates that 1,500–2,000 people die of malnutrition there every year, mostly children.[14] Despite these deaths, the inmate population remains constant, suggesting that around 1,500–2,000 new inmates arrive each year.[28] Children get only very basic education.[29] From six years on they get work assigned, such as picking vegetables, peeling corn or drying rice, but they receive very little food, only 180 g (6.3 oz) in total per day. Therefore, many children die before the age of ten years.[30] Elderly prisoners have the same work requirements as other adults.[31] Seriously ill prisoners are quarantined, abandoned, and left to die.[32]
Single prisoners live in bunkhouses with 100 people in one room. As a reward for good work, families are often allowed to live together in a single room of a small house without running water.[33] But the houses are in poor condition; the walls are made from mud and have a lot of cracks.[34] All prisoners have to use dirty and crowded communal toilets.[35]
Prisoners have to do hard physical labour in agriculture, mining and factories from 5:00 am to 8:00 pm (7:00 pm in winter),[13] followed by ideological re-education and self-criticism sessions.[36] New Year’s Day is the only holiday for prisoners.[37] The mines are not equipped with safety measures and, according to Ahn, prisoners were killed almost every day. They have to use primitive tools, such as shovels and picks, and are forced to work to exhaustion.[19] When there was a fire or a tunnel collapsed, prisoners were abandoned inside and left to die.[38] Kwon Hyuk reported that corpses are simply loaded into cargo coaches together with the coal to be burnt in a melting furnace.[18] The coal is supplied to Chongjin Power Plant, Chongjin Steel Mill and Kimchaek Steel Mill,[39] while the food is supplied to the State Security Agency or sold in Pyongyang and other parts of the country.[19]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoeryong_concentration_camp
That is a tragic situation, but why does anyone ever want to go to that hell hole, where the thugs lie in wait for phony reasons to imprison any Westerner. Now someone will require a steep bribe to get him out. I just cannot understand it.
This article was in the paper today ... kids just aren’t turning out the same as they turned out in the “good old days” (think ‘greatest generation’ types - tough, strong people, most with values/morals, etc.). A lot of what is considered “advancements” in child rearing & education nowadays seems to be having the opposite results. One of these less than ‘good’ results appears to be blubber boy who has found out the hard way that getting away with poor judgement & stealing by saying you made a mistake, you’re sorry and crying won’t work with the NORKS. 15 years hard labor of the NK variety is overkill (emphasis on the ‘kill’) on the sentence, but I’m really not feeling much sympathy, to be honest about it.
Regarding my college days, they were some of the happiest of my life - worked hard, made good grades (which were expected by my parents from elementary school through college), and enjoyed the time before I had to truly get out in the real world as a functioning, independent, productive adult. I have nieces/nephews in college now and the experience doesn’t seem to have changed SO drastically that kids shouldn’t be able to handle it ... unless those attending have been raised/educated as ‘snowflakes’.
More college students seeking mental health help
http://www.whsv.com/content/news/More-college-students-seeking-mental-health-help-372482912.html
UVa has seen a 25 percent increase over the last year in the number of students seeking counseling and mental health services. [part of growing national trend]
Hayden said there are a number of factors contributing to this national trend including: societal pressures, pressure associated with academic rigor, and personal growth during college.
Counselors at the centers said they see more students dealing with stress, anxiety, and depression than ever before.
He’ll be home before May Day. Dear Leader just wants a little “in your face” to a young, dumb American and then a generous offer of amnesty. Good PR and all that.
LOL
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