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| North Korea sentences U-Va. student to 15 years of hard labor in prison | North Korea sentences U-Va. student to 15 years of hard labor in prison |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| SEOUL — The University of Virginia student being held in North Korea was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison with hard labor for trying to steal a propaganda sign from a hotel in Pyongyang. | SEOUL — The University of Virginia student being held in North Korea was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison with hard labor for trying to steal a propaganda sign from a hotel in Pyongyang. |
| Otto Warmbier, a 21-year-old economics major from Cincinnati who had gone to North Korea with a tour group, was convicted after a one-hour trial in the Supreme Court. Video footage showed Warmbier, dressed in the same clothes he was wearing during a highly choreographed news conference last month, being led into the court room in handcuffs. | Otto Warmbier, a 21-year-old economics major from Cincinnati who had gone to North Korea with a tour group, was convicted after a one-hour trial in the Supreme Court. Video footage showed Warmbier, dressed in the same clothes he was wearing during a highly choreographed news conference last month, being led into the court room in handcuffs. |
| Diplomats from the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang, which represents American interests in North Korea because the United States does not have diplomatic relations with the country, were present at the trial. | |
| White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Wednesday afternoon that the administration is urging the North Korean government to pardon Warmbier, grant him special amnesty, and release him. | |
| “The allegations for which this individual was arrested and imprisoned would not give rise to arrest or imprisonment in the United States, or just about any country in the world,” Earnest said. “It is increasingly clear the North Korean government seeks to use these U.S. citizens as pawns for a political agenda.” | “The allegations for which this individual was arrested and imprisoned would not give rise to arrest or imprisonment in the United States, or just about any country in the world,” Earnest said. “It is increasingly clear the North Korean government seeks to use these U.S. citizens as pawns for a political agenda.” |
| U.S. State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner pointedly put quote marks around the charges against Warmbier, of committing “hostile acts” against North Korea. Toner urged North Korea to immediately release Warmbier on humanitarian grounds. | |
| “The department believes the sentence is unduly harsh for the actions Mr. Warmbier allegedly took,” Toner said, referring to North Korea by it’s official acronym, DPRK. “Despite claims that U.S. citizens arrested in the DPRK are not used for political purposes, it is increasingly clear, from its very public treatment of these cases, the DPRK does exactly that.” | |
| Toner also said Warmbier’s sentence underscores the risks associated with travel to North Korea. He said the State Department “strongly recommends” U.S. citizens do not travel to North Korea, and then repeated the advice. | |
| North Korea has detained and convicted a number of Americans in recent years and used them as bargaining chips with the United States. Recent detainees include Kenneth Bae, a Korean American missionary who was sentenced to 15 years’ hard labor, and was released after 18 months. | North Korea has detained and convicted a number of Americans in recent years and used them as bargaining chips with the United States. Recent detainees include Kenneth Bae, a Korean American missionary who was sentenced to 15 years’ hard labor, and was released after 18 months. |
| Warmbier had been on his way to Hong Kong for a financial course connected to his U-Va. studies when he was arrested in Pyongyang airport as he was leaving the country on Jan. 2, at the end of the tour. Three weeks later, the North Korean government announced it was holding the student for an unspecified “hostile act” against the state. | Warmbier had been on his way to Hong Kong for a financial course connected to his U-Va. studies when he was arrested in Pyongyang airport as he was leaving the country on Jan. 2, at the end of the tour. Three weeks later, the North Korean government announced it was holding the student for an unspecified “hostile act” against the state. |
| In February, Warmbier participated in a highly orchestrated news conference in Pyongyang, admitting to a “very severe and pre-planned crime,” saying he tried to steal a political sign from his hotel that promoted the North Korean people’s “love for their system,” according to the official Korean Central News Agency. | In February, Warmbier participated in a highly orchestrated news conference in Pyongyang, admitting to a “very severe and pre-planned crime,” saying he tried to steal a political sign from his hotel that promoted the North Korean people’s “love for their system,” according to the official Korean Central News Agency. |
| “The aim of my task was to harm the motivation and work ethic of the Korean people. This was a very foolish aim,” Warmbier said at the time. | “The aim of my task was to harm the motivation and work ethic of the Korean people. This was a very foolish aim,” Warmbier said at the time. |
| Warmbier was charged with subversion under Article 60 of North Korea’s criminal code, the Associated Press reported from Pyongyang. The court held that he had committed a crime “pursuant to the U.S. government’s hostile policy toward [the North], in a bid to impair the unity of its people after entering it as a tourist,” the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Wednesday. | Warmbier was charged with subversion under Article 60 of North Korea’s criminal code, the Associated Press reported from Pyongyang. The court held that he had committed a crime “pursuant to the U.S. government’s hostile policy toward [the North], in a bid to impair the unity of its people after entering it as a tourist,” the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Wednesday. |
| [U-Va. student held in North Korea ‘confesses’ to ‘severe’ crime] | [U-Va. student held in North Korea ‘confesses’ to ‘severe’ crime] |
| In his appearance before the media in February, Warmbier said he had been instructed by a female member of Friendship United Methodist Church in Wyoming, Ohio, to steal one of North Korea’s ubiquitous propaganda signs and take it back to the United States as a “trophy.” | In his appearance before the media in February, Warmbier said he had been instructed by a female member of Friendship United Methodist Church in Wyoming, Ohio, to steal one of North Korea’s ubiquitous propaganda signs and take it back to the United States as a “trophy.” |
| Warmbier’s parents, Fred and Cindy, have said in a statement that they hoped their son’s “sincere apology for anything that he may have done wrong” would move the government to release him. Warmbier’s mother did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. | Warmbier’s parents, Fred and Cindy, have said in a statement that they hoped their son’s “sincere apology for anything that he may have done wrong” would move the government to release him. Warmbier’s mother did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. |
| Anthony P. de Bruyn, a spokesman for the University of Virginia, declined to comment on the case. “The university is aware of the recent media reports regarding Otto Warmbier and remains in touch with his family,” he said. | Anthony P. de Bruyn, a spokesman for the University of Virginia, declined to comment on the case. “The university is aware of the recent media reports regarding Otto Warmbier and remains in touch with his family,” he said. |
| Rowan Beard of Young Pioneer Tours, the adventure travel company that took Warmbier to Pyongyang, said that Warmbier’s sentence “should be viewed in similar context of previous cases of Americans being sentenced” in North Korea. “We are continuing to work closely with relevant authorities to ensure a speedy and satisfactory outcome for Mr. Warmbier,” Beard said in a statement. | Rowan Beard of Young Pioneer Tours, the adventure travel company that took Warmbier to Pyongyang, said that Warmbier’s sentence “should be viewed in similar context of previous cases of Americans being sentenced” in North Korea. “We are continuing to work closely with relevant authorities to ensure a speedy and satisfactory outcome for Mr. Warmbier,” Beard said in a statement. |
| Ohio Gov. John R. Kasich, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, called on North Korea to immediately release Warmbier to his family in Ohio. | |
| “His detention was completely unjustified and the sentence North Korea imposed on him is an affront to concepts of justice,” Kasich said. “Continuing to hold him only further alienates North Korea from the international community. I urge the Obama Administration to redouble its efforts to secure his release and ask all Ohioans to continue to lift up Otto and his family in prayer in support of his swift, safe return.” | |
| Warmbier is being held at a particularly sensitive time, when annual military drills between the United States and South Korea are coinciding with international sanctions against North Korea’s regime to punish it for its recent nuclear test and missile launches. | Warmbier is being held at a particularly sensitive time, when annual military drills between the United States and South Korea are coinciding with international sanctions against North Korea’s regime to punish it for its recent nuclear test and missile launches. |
| [Detained U-Va. student described as ‘buoyant,’ inspiring and driven] | [Detained U-Va. student described as ‘buoyant,’ inspiring and driven] |
| North Korea always protests the joint military drills in South Korea because it sees them as a pretext for an invasion, but Pyongyang’s reaction is particularly ferocious this year. The allies are practicing “decapitation strikes” that target North Korea’s leadership and its nuclear and missile facilities. | North Korea always protests the joint military drills in South Korea because it sees them as a pretext for an invasion, but Pyongyang’s reaction is particularly ferocious this year. The allies are practicing “decapitation strikes” that target North Korea’s leadership and its nuclear and missile facilities. |
| Furthermore, the sanctions imposed by the United Nations, coupled with direct measures taken by the United States, Japan and South Korea, are the toughest yet and could inflict a significant amount of pain on the North Korean regime. | Furthermore, the sanctions imposed by the United Nations, coupled with direct measures taken by the United States, Japan and South Korea, are the toughest yet and could inflict a significant amount of pain on the North Korean regime. |
| The allegations against Warmbier stem from an incident in the wee hours of Jan. 1, when he tried to steal a propaganda sign from a staff-only floor of the Yanggakdo International Hotel, one of the main places where foreign tourists stay in Pyongyang. He reportedly pulled the banner from the wall but realized it was too big to carry off, so he abandoned it there. | The allegations against Warmbier stem from an incident in the wee hours of Jan. 1, when he tried to steal a propaganda sign from a staff-only floor of the Yanggakdo International Hotel, one of the main places where foreign tourists stay in Pyongyang. He reportedly pulled the banner from the wall but realized it was too big to carry off, so he abandoned it there. |
| “The aim of my task was to harm the motivation and work ethic of the Korean people. This was a very foolish aim,” Warmbier said in February, reading from handwritten notes. He described a bizarre plot in which he was directed to steal the sign by a church member, a U-Va student group — the Z Society — and the United States government. | “The aim of my task was to harm the motivation and work ethic of the Korean people. This was a very foolish aim,” Warmbier said in February, reading from handwritten notes. He described a bizarre plot in which he was directed to steal the sign by a church member, a U-Va student group — the Z Society — and the United States government. |
| Previous Americans detained in North Korea also have been brought by authorities before the media to “confess” their crimes, with the detainees told what to say and the reporters told what to ask. | Previous Americans detained in North Korea also have been brought by authorities before the media to “confess” their crimes, with the detainees told what to say and the reporters told what to ask. |
| Analysts expect that Warmbier also was directed in this way to deliver the statement, in which the student said he was impressed by North Korea’s “humanitarian treatment of severe criminals like myself.” | Analysts expect that Warmbier also was directed in this way to deliver the statement, in which the student said he was impressed by North Korea’s “humanitarian treatment of severe criminals like myself.” |
| Americans are not banned from traveling to North Korea, which has in recent years been promoting tourism and has loosened restrictions on American visitors. But with the increasing number of U.S. citizens running into trouble there, the State Department strongly advises against travel to the country. | Americans are not banned from traveling to North Korea, which has in recent years been promoting tourism and has loosened restrictions on American visitors. But with the increasing number of U.S. citizens running into trouble there, the State Department strongly advises against travel to the country. |
| Several U.S. citizens have been held in Pyongyang in recent years, usually because of activities relating to Christianity, and also have been sentenced to hard labor. | Several U.S. citizens have been held in Pyongyang in recent years, usually because of activities relating to Christianity, and also have been sentenced to hard labor. |
| [The strange ways North Korea makes detainees confess on camera] | [The strange ways North Korea makes detainees confess on camera] |
| North Korea tries to use them as bargaining chips and releases them after high-profile interventions that it can use for its domestic propaganda purposes, portraying the visits by officials as Americans coming to pay homage to North Korea. | North Korea tries to use them as bargaining chips and releases them after high-profile interventions that it can use for its domestic propaganda purposes, portraying the visits by officials as Americans coming to pay homage to North Korea. |
| Former president Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter have both been to Pyongyang for this reason, and James R. Clapper Jr., the Director of National Intelligence, went to Pyongyang at the end of 2014 to free three Americans being held there. | Former president Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter have both been to Pyongyang for this reason, and James R. Clapper Jr., the Director of National Intelligence, went to Pyongyang at the end of 2014 to free three Americans being held there. |
| One of them, Bae, a Korean American missionary, had been sentenced to 15 years’ hard labor for “hostile acts against the republic,” including proselytizing and attempting to overthrow the regime. Bae’s sister described how he was having to do manual work on a farm for eight hours a day, six days a week. | One of them, Bae, a Korean American missionary, had been sentenced to 15 years’ hard labor for “hostile acts against the republic,” including proselytizing and attempting to overthrow the regime. Bae’s sister described how he was having to do manual work on a farm for eight hours a day, six days a week. |
| Another, Matthew Miller from California, had been sentenced to six years’ hard labor after ripping up his tourist visa on arrival in North Korea. | Another, Matthew Miller from California, had been sentenced to six years’ hard labor after ripping up his tourist visa on arrival in North Korea. |
| At U-Va., Warmbier was selected as an Echols Scholar, a special four-year academic program for fewer than 250 students in each class. Those chosen are described as “intellectual risk-takers” who have shown “academic excellence, intellectual leadership, and evidence of the ability to grapple with complex topics,” according to the university’s website. | At U-Va., Warmbier was selected as an Echols Scholar, a special four-year academic program for fewer than 250 students in each class. Those chosen are described as “intellectual risk-takers” who have shown “academic excellence, intellectual leadership, and evidence of the ability to grapple with complex topics,” according to the university’s website. |
| Svrluga and Morello reported from Washington. | Svrluga and Morello reported from Washington. |
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