American Is Facing Death Penalty In North Korea

[webfact]

American is facing death penalty in North Korea 'because he took pictures of starving orphans'
Kenneth Bae was arrested while leading tour group near Chinese border
Reported to have taken photographs of orphans begging on streets
Could face death for 'crimes' aimed to topple the country's government
By SAM ADAMS

SEOUL: -- An American tour guide faces the death penalty in North Korea after allegedly taking photographs of orphans begging in the street.

Kenneth Bae was arrested in November while leading a group of tourists though the rogue state's Rason Special Economic Zone and later admitted to committing 'crimes aimed to topple the DPRK,' according to a Korean news agency.

The exact reasons for his arrest have not been confirmed by North Korea but sources in the country say he is accused of photographing starving children.

Identified in North Korea’s state media by his Korean name, Pae Jun Ho, Mr Bae is a tour operator of Korean descent.

Full story: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2316423/American-facing-death-penalty-North-Korea-took-pictures-starving-orphans.html

-- Daily Mail 2013-04-29

[ABCer]

Actually the poor sod deserves 3 (three) death penalties.

For being of Korean descent and selling his soul to Americans.

For Photographing poor, hungry, begging Korean children - The Happiest Children in the World! - which action is subversive to existing Regime.

For not bowing to The Statue of the Korean Idol (number I, II or III).

N.B. I wonder if the Korean Law stipulates that "of Korean descent" automatically means N.Korean subject?! Wouldn't be much surprised...

On a more serious note: N.Koreans want to 'exchange' this poor sod for

a spy

a wad of money

a bowl of food

political concessions

sexual favours

all of the above

[disagree]

gonna be exchanged for the little leader's next favourite dumb american celebrity after Dennis Rodman

[Jingthing]

I feel bad for this guy but I don't want Obama to give those lunatics one tiny thing in exchange for his life. Enough is enough.

[lee b]

Has this not happened before with North Korea. I seem to remember Bill Clinton being involved

[Jingthing]

Has this not happened before with North Korea. I seem to remember Bill Clinton being involved

It's a pattern for sure.

[webfact]

Detained US Man 'confesses' In Plot Against N. Korea

PYONGYANG, NORTH KOREA (BNO NEWS) -- A Korean American man who was arrested in North Korea late last year has admitted plotting to overthrow the North Korean government, state-run media reported on Saturday. A verdict is expected soon that could see him receive the death penalty.

Pae Jun Ho, who is better known by his American name Kenneth Bae, was arrested in November 2012 after he traveled from China to the North Korean special economic zone of Rason. He was initially accused of 'committing a crime against' North Korea, but the charge has since been escalated.

On Saturday, a brief dispatch from the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said a preliminary inquiry into Pae Jun Ho's alleged crimes had been concluded. "In the process of the investigation he admitted that he committed crimes aimed to topple the DPRK with hostility toward it," the report said, referring to the country by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The news agency said the unspecified crimes have been proven with evidence, but gave no other details. A bulletin later on Saturday said Pae Jun Ho will soon be taken to North Korea's Supreme Court where a verdict will be handed down, which could include a death sentence if he is found guilty.

Pae Jun Ho, who was born in South Korea but lives in the U.S. state of Washington, is believed to have traveled to Rason with a group of businessmen. The exact purpose of his visit is not known, but KCNA said the man had entered Rason City on November 3 with the purpose of a tour.

U.S. officials have been reluctant to discuss the case due to 'privacy considerations', but North Korea's state-run news agency previously said that consular officials from the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang had visited Pae Jun Ho. North Korea and the United States have no diplomatic relations, but Sweden acts as a protecting power. (Copyright 2013 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: [email protected].)

[krisb]

What, a tour guide in North Korea? So basically showing North Koreans around their own country?

...If you look to the left, that's a missile aimed at America!....oooow!

Also wasn't any consular officials told to leave? Why was Sweden still there? Is it they are a neutral country?

[yourauntbob]

I feel bad for this guy but I don't want Obama to give those lunatics one tiny thing in exchange for his life. Enough is enough.

Stop the presses, we agree!

[BeforeTigers]

I want to know if they beat a confession out of him, or if they simply lied about that part.
I don't remember hearing anything about any "advanced interrogation" (as my government likes to call torture) the last couple of times this happened. I'll assume they simply lied about it.

[BeforeTigers]

I feel bad for this guy but I don't want Obama to give those lunatics one tiny thing in exchange for his life. Enough is enough.

"In exchange for his life"?

That's a bit harsh. You'd have this guy kidnapped and executed just to call this weird government out on their BS?

... and what is it that you imagine Obama would be giving them in exchange for his freedom? All they sked for the last few times was a photo op with a high ranking US official.

I would endorse that. Again.

[dantilley]

What, a tour guide in North Korea? So basically showing North Koreans around their own country?

As he's American you'd have to assume he was showing foreign tourists around North Korea.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[F430murci]

I feel bad for this guy but I don't want Obama to give those lunatics one tiny thing in exchange for his life. Enough is enough.

"In exchange for his life"?

That's a bit harsh. You'd have this guy kidnapped and executed just to call this weird government out on their BS?

... and what is it that you imagine Obama would be giving them in exchange for his freedom? All they sked for the last few times was a photo op with a high ranking US official.

I would endorse that. Again.

The problem is if they give in, there will be many more like him. One would have to assume they tortured him and got him to sign something or make a recorded statement. NK is not exactly a champion of human and civil rights.

[Jingthing]

I feel bad for this guy but I don't want Obama to give those lunatics one tiny thing in exchange for his life. Enough is enough.

"In exchange for his life"?

That's a bit harsh. You'd have this guy kidnapped and executed just to call this weird government out on their BS?

... and what is it that you imagine Obama would be giving them in exchange for his freedom? All they sked for the last few times was a photo op with a high ranking US official.

I would endorse that. Again.

They would use such a photo for propaganda purposes to keep that horrible regime in power. No way. No time. This madness had got to end.

[maidu]

He was forced to 'confess' as the silly wording of the confession is pure N.Korean. The so-called 'justices' might consider the 'confession' as a way to lighten the sentence from death to something like 25 years, which is equivalent to death in that hell-hole of a country. Of course, all is decided by the 3 or 4 people at the top of the pyramid, so any decision by anyone else is a charade.

[Maestro]

I have removed an off-topic post about a Thai political party and the reply to it.

[yourauntbob]

I feel bad for this guy but I don't want Obama to give those lunatics one tiny thing in exchange for his life. Enough is enough.

"In exchange for his life"?

That's a bit harsh. You'd have this guy kidnapped and executed just to call this weird government out on their BS?

... and what is it that you imagine Obama would be giving them in exchange for his freedom? All they sked for the last few times was a photo op with a high ranking US official.

I would endorse that. Again.

Its about the big picture. Every life is precious, but 1,000,000 are more precious than one.

[rotary]

Actually the poor sod deserves 3 (three) death penalties.

For being of Korean descent and selling his soul to Americans.

For Photographing poor, hungry, begging Korean children - The Happiest Children in the World! - which action is subversive to existing Regime.

For not bowing to The Statue of the Korean Idol (number I, II or III).

N.B. I wonder if the Korean Law stipulates that "of Korean descent" automatically means N.Korean subject?! Wouldn't be much surprised...

On a more serious note: N.Koreans want to 'exchange' this poor sod for

a spy

a wad of money

a bowl of food

political concessions

sexual favours

all of the above

Totally correct, You are a switched on guy

[maidu]

The US can trade Rush Limbaugh for the guy.

[NeverSure]

The US can trade Rush Limbaugh for the guy.

Perhaps the UK would be kind enough to trade Jeremy Kyle for him.

[landslide]

North Korea has reneged on every agreement they have ever made. I feel bad for the arrested tour guide, but frankly, he was stupid to enter North Korea at this time. The fat little turd running North korea now has no further cards to play, other than threatening to eecute the tour guide. He has threatened nuclear war, destroying South Korea and firing missiles on Japan, South Korea and the USA. Unfortunately for him, the allies have so far called his bluff, so now he threatens a lone pathetic tour guide. Sounds harsh, but give them nothing. If China wants to back the little turd, make them shoulder 100% of the cost and the results. Sooner, rather than later, they will tire of his antics. Then we'll see if he can hold power over the emaciated minions remaining.

[Chris Lawrence]

What a sad and pathetic nation.

[bender92]

Has this not happened before with North Korea. I seem to remember Bill Clinton being involved

Clinton went because it involved two lady reporters. He hoped to get lucky.

[stoli]

Has this not happened before with North Korea. I seem to remember Bill Clinton being involved

Yes, Clinton became very personally involved the last time.

[Robert2006]

Unbelievable, it’s horrible what North Korea is subjected too by that pitiful obscenity Kim Jong Un. His family has the blood of millions on their hands, what kind of psychopathic deviant would get any pleasure using power to kill and not help their countrymen.

The Korean’s are wonderful people the South is a shining star of ingenuity and diligence. Kim Jong Un acts like such a tuff guy, I’ll bet that punk couldn’t fight his way out of a wet paper bag. I wish the Yanks would just roll in a carpet bomb the entire govenment and get it over with.

I pray the North can get out from under the rule of that mentally disordered degenerate potbellied freak.

[uptheos]

I feel bad for this guy but I don't want Obama to give those lunatics one tiny thing in exchange for his life. Enough is enough.

I would do the exchange and then sanction them to the absolute maximum possible.

Take out fat boy if possible and let the NKTV make a meal out of that!

[impulse]

Not specifically related to this incident, but anyone who wants a little insight into this type of behavior by North Korea can Google the "Pueblo".

They pretty much all "confessed", too.

[maidu]

Meanwhile, any N.Koreans who manage to make an escape in to China are in for added trouble. Rather than allow the escapees to go on to S.Korea or elsewhere, Chinese authorities toss the escapees in gulags of their own, or send them back to the meat grinder. China is complicit in the destructive stranglehold of those handful of N.Koreans at the top.

[NeverSure]

I would make a trade with the fat boy. I would trade him his hostage for Seal Team Six.

[Amras]

I feel bad for this guy but I don't want Obama to give those lunatics one tiny thing in exchange for his life. Enough is enough.

"In exchange for his life"?

That's a bit harsh. You'd have this guy kidnapped and executed just to call this weird government out on their BS?

... and what is it that you imagine Obama would be giving them in exchange for his freedom? All they sked for the last few times was a photo op with a high ranking US official.

I would endorse that. Again.

Its about the big picture. Every life is precious, but 1,000,000 are more precious than one.

Had to say that if you were in his position. A trade of of a photo is a small price to pay for saving his life. Regardless of said photo or not, it's really going to make a small difference in the long run to NK.