Thursday, March 17, 2016

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: NoKor sentenced US student to hard labor


The North Korean supreme court has sentenced an American university student to 15 years of hard labor for crimes against the state. The state-run Korean Central News Agency reported that Otto Warmbier, who was detained in Pyongyang two months ago while visiting as a tourist, was sentenced on Wednesday. It said he confessed to having committed a hostile act, following the US government's hostile policy towards the North.

State-run media say Warmbier admitted at a news conference in Pyongyang last month that he tried to steal an item bearing a political slogan from his hotel in the capital city. North Korea has also detained three South Korean men and a SoKor-Canadian male for alleged espionage. All four have been sentenced to hard labor. CNN also reported that a SoKor-American man was detained as well.

Observers of North Korea say Pyongyang's using the detainees as bargaining chips to combat new international sanctions over its nuclear and missile tests.

Source: NHK World

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