U.s. Urges N. Korea To Free American Jailed For 15 Years

[News_Editor]

<p>PYONGYANG, NORTH KOREA (BNO NEWS) -- The U.S. government on Thursday called on North Korea to grant amnesty and release immediately a Korean American man who has been sentenced to 15 years of hard labor after being found guilty of plotting to overthrow the North Korean government.

</p>

<p>U.S. State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said the exact circumstances of the case remain unclear but expressed concern about the "lack of transparency and due process" in North Korea's legal system. He made the comments hours after North Korea confirmed that Pae Jun Ho, who is better known by his American name Kenneth Bae, had been sentenced to 15 years of hard labor.

</p>

<p>"There is no greater priority for us than the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad, and we urge the DPRK authorities to grant Mr. Bae amnesty and immediate release," Ventrell said in Washington, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

</p>

<p>Bae was arrested in November 2012 after he traveled from China to the North Korean special economic zone of Rason with a group of businessmen, but the exact purpose of his visit is unclear. A brief dispatch from the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) last month said Bae had admitted that he committed crimes aimed at toppling the North Korean government.

</p>

<p>The news agency said the unspecified crimes have been proven with evidence, but gave no other details. A bulletin on Saturday said Bae would be taken to the Supreme Court, where he stood trial on Tuesday and was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor, but not a death sentence as had been feared.

</p>

<p>"We don't know the facts of the case. The Swedish are our protecting power and have had, in a few opportunities, the chance to meet with Mr. Bae, but there hasn't been transparency in the case," Ventrell said. "So while some of the facts are limited to our knowledge - we don't know all of the facts - we are concerned that, broadly speaking, about the transparency and due process in North Korea, and we think he should be released."

</p>

<p>North Korea and the United States have no diplomatic relations, but Sweden acts as a protecting power. Ventrell said officials from the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang last visited Bae on April 26, but they did not attend Tuesday's sentencing. It is not known whether the Swedish officials chose not to attend the sentencing or were prevented from doing so.

</p> <p> (Copyright 2013 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: [email protected].) </p>

[Publicus]

Meanwhile, Kim Jong Un is worth USD $5 billion according to reckoning by U.S. and S Korea intelligence agencies.

"North Korea by the Numbers: Kim Jong-un Is Worth How Much?!"

http://www.mybanktracker.com/news/mbtslider/north-korea-numbers-kim-jongun-worth/

Estates, expensive cars, caviar and the like account for his looking like the Pillsbury Dough Boy. He and his gang need to release Kenneth Bae. Then they need to be sent to a Fat Farm.

[Credo]

I think a few weeks in any of the ordinary villages would be way more effective than going to a fat farm.

[Mosha]

This guy is the next pawn in negotiations.

[IsaanUSA]

This guy got lucky he didn't receive the death penalty. I'm sure some higher ups had a discussion and a deal was made to spare him his life. Perhaps when Pae is free he can come back to America and investigate human trafficking in the US.

[baboon]

This guy is the next pawn in negotiations.

I would agree with you there.

[Publicus]

N Korea has taken its missiles off the launch pads and is now trying to figure out what.

There's general agreement that Kim jon-gun wisely has shut up because the new South Korean president, Park Guen-hye is in Washington having a press conference at the White House with Prez Obama as I write this.

I guess someone stuffed a donut in Kim's mouth.

North Korea Stands Down

http://www.businessinsider.com/north-korea-stands-down-moves-musudan-missiles-2013-5?nr_email_referer=1&utm_source=Triggermail&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Military%20Select&utm_campaign=Military%20Select%202013-05-07&utm_content=emailshare

[Loptr]

Meanwhile, Kim Jong Un is worth USD $5 billion according to reckoning by U.S. and S Korea intelligence agencies.

"North Korea by the Numbers: Kim Jong-un Is Worth How Much?!"

http://www.mybanktracker.com/news/mbtslider/north-korea-numbers-kim-jongun-worth/

Estates, expensive cars, caviar and the like account for his looking like the Pillsbury Dough Boy. He and his gang need to release Kenneth Bae. Then they need to be sent to a Fat Farm.

Much like the late Hugo Chavez, who came from a humble upbringing to leading the socialist movement in Venezuela. It is estimated that in the 14 years of his presidency, he amassed over $3 billion USD worth of assets. Pretty good for an enlisted soldier. The days are numbered for all these tin-pot dictators around the world that prosper on the backs of their constituents.

[Publicus]

Meanwhile, Kim Jong Un is worth USD $5 billion according to reckoning by U.S. and S Korea intelligence agencies.


"North Korea by the Numbers: Kim Jong-un Is Worth How Much?!"

http://www.mybanktracker.com/news/mbtslider/north-korea-numbers-kim-jongun-worth/

Estates, expensive cars, caviar and the like account for his looking like the Pillsbury Dough Boy. He and his gang need to release Kenneth Bae. Then they need to be sent to a Fat Farm.

Much like the late Hugo Chavez, who came from a humble upbringing to leading the socialist movement in Venezuela. It is estimated that in the 14 years of his presidency, he amassed over $3 billion USD worth of assets. Pretty good for an enlisted soldier. The days are numbered for all these tin-pot dictators around the world that prosper on the backs of their constituents.

And no doubt ugo left his billions to the poor people of Venezuela. After all, he was a socialist, true to his ideals and ideas.

And I'm sure the three Kims have been most generous to N Korean charities too. Edited May 7, 2013 by Publicus

[Scott]

Please stay on topic--North Korea, not Venezuela only.

Comparisons are informative, but let's bring them back to the topic of the OP.

[Publicus]

This development pretty much speaks clearly enough. So now N Korea is stuck trying to figure out what next. Maybe Beijing to the rescue?






Obama: 'North Korea has failed again'

Obama said North Korea's manufactured crises will no longer elicit concessions and committed to protecting the United States and its allies.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/07/obama-north-korea-has-failed-again/

Edited May 8, 2013 by Publicus

[balloon chaser]

Coming from the #1 incarceration country..

[Publicus]

Coming from the #1 incarceration country..

I don't know your nationality or country, nor do you need to say, so I can't point out - or harp on - three weaknesses of your society, culture, civilization. You have the advantage, as you choose to have, of anonymity of nationality/citizenship. Consequently you issue yourself a free pass on this one.

You have that right, choice.

I just hope you are not working from the presumption of perfection, or near perfection concerning your own country, citizenship.

[Scott]

Since we have a troll on this thread and the story is running here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/638051-dennis-rodman-asks-kim-jong-un-to-let-u-s-citizen-go/

This one is CLOSED.