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| North Korea Sentences Otto Warmbier, U.S. Student, to 15 Years’ Labor | North Korea Sentences Otto Warmbier, U.S. Student, to 15 Years’ Labor |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| SEOUL, South Korea — An American college student who tearfully apologized for trying to steal a political propaganda poster from his hotel in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, was sentenced on Wednesday to 15 years of prison and hard labor. | SEOUL, South Korea — An American college student who tearfully apologized for trying to steal a political propaganda poster from his hotel in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, was sentenced on Wednesday to 15 years of prison and hard labor. |
| The student, Otto F. Warmbier, 21, a University of Virginia undergraduate from the Cincinnati area, was convicted after a one-hour trial Wednesday morning at the country’s Supreme Court, news services reported. A clip from state television showed Mr. Warmbier, head down and hands shackled, as he was escorted by two officers in and out of court. | The student, Otto F. Warmbier, 21, a University of Virginia undergraduate from the Cincinnati area, was convicted after a one-hour trial Wednesday morning at the country’s Supreme Court, news services reported. A clip from state television showed Mr. Warmbier, head down and hands shackled, as he was escorted by two officers in and out of court. |
| The sentence is the latest in a series of penalties that the government has meted out to a small number of American tourists, missionaries and journalists in recent years for what have been deemed antistate crimes, including accusations of illegal entry and leaving a Bible behind in a hotel. | The sentence is the latest in a series of penalties that the government has meted out to a small number of American tourists, missionaries and journalists in recent years for what have been deemed antistate crimes, including accusations of illegal entry and leaving a Bible behind in a hotel. |
| But even by North Korea’s standards, the punishment for Mr. Warmbier appeared to be extreme for an act that might amount to a harmless misdemeanor elsewhere. The Obama administration, along with Mr. Warmbier’s other American supporters and rights activists, denounced the sentence. | |
| Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, said it was “increasingly clear that the North Korean government intends to use these citizens as pawns,” and that Mr. Warmbier’s arrest demonstrated why it was hazardous to visit North Korea. | |
| The State Department strongly discourages Americans from traveling to the country, but it is not illegal to do so. | |
| Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, a Republican candidate for president, said in a statement on his website that Mr. Warmbier’s detention “was completely unjustified and the sentence North Korea imposed on him is an affront to concepts of justice.” | |
| Mr. Kasich, who has spoken with Mr. Warmbier’s parents and has repeatedly called on North Korea to free Mr. Warmbier, said in the statement that “continuing to hold him only further alienates North Korea from the international community.” | Mr. Kasich, who has spoken with Mr. Warmbier’s parents and has repeatedly called on North Korea to free Mr. Warmbier, said in the statement that “continuing to hold him only further alienates North Korea from the international community.” |
| Phil Robertson, the deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said in a statement that the punishment of “15 years’ hard labor for a college-style prank is outrageous and shocking.” | Phil Robertson, the deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said in a statement that the punishment of “15 years’ hard labor for a college-style prank is outrageous and shocking.” |
| Mr. Warmbier’s punishment was announced less than a day after Bill Richardson, a longtime American diplomat and former governor of New Mexico who has visited Pyongyang a number of times, met with two North Korean officials in New York to urge Mr. Warmbier’s release on humanitarian grounds. | Mr. Warmbier’s punishment was announced less than a day after Bill Richardson, a longtime American diplomat and former governor of New Mexico who has visited Pyongyang a number of times, met with two North Korean officials in New York to urge Mr. Warmbier’s release on humanitarian grounds. |
| Mr. Richardson, who had been asked by Mr. Kasich to become involved in the case because of his experience in dealing with North Korea, suggested that the punishment should not necessarily be taken at face value. | Mr. Richardson, who had been asked by Mr. Kasich to become involved in the case because of his experience in dealing with North Korea, suggested that the punishment should not necessarily be taken at face value. |
| “An unfortunate development but a familiar pattern with American detainees,” Mr. Richardson said in an email. “Hopefully a prelude to negotiations that might lead to a release on humanitarian grounds.” | “An unfortunate development but a familiar pattern with American detainees,” Mr. Richardson said in an email. “Hopefully a prelude to negotiations that might lead to a release on humanitarian grounds.” |
| Mr. Warmbier, who entered North Korea as part of a tour group, was detained on Jan. 2 as he was about to board a plane to leave the country. In announcing his arrest, the state news media said that Mr. Warmbier had visited with the intent of “bringing down the foundation of its single-minded unity.” | Mr. Warmbier, who entered North Korea as part of a tour group, was detained on Jan. 2 as he was about to board a plane to leave the country. In announcing his arrest, the state news media said that Mr. Warmbier had visited with the intent of “bringing down the foundation of its single-minded unity.” |
| The charges against him claimed that the C.I.A., a secretive American university organization and a member of a church in Ohio had encouraged him to commit the “hostile act” of stealing a political poster from a wall in his hotel. | The charges against him claimed that the C.I.A., a secretive American university organization and a member of a church in Ohio had encouraged him to commit the “hostile act” of stealing a political poster from a wall in his hotel. |
| Late last month, Mr. Warmbier sobbed and pleaded for his release at a government-arranged news conference in Pyongyang, where he admitted stealing the poster and said that the church member had offered to buy him a used car worth $10,000 in exchange. “I made the worst mistake of my life,” Mr. Warmbier said. | Late last month, Mr. Warmbier sobbed and pleaded for his release at a government-arranged news conference in Pyongyang, where he admitted stealing the poster and said that the church member had offered to buy him a used car worth $10,000 in exchange. “I made the worst mistake of my life,” Mr. Warmbier said. |
| It was impossible to determine whether Mr. Warmbier had been coerced into making the statements. Some American detainees who have spoken at similar news conferences in Pyongyang later said, after being freed, that they had been forced to confess to crimes and to apologize. | It was impossible to determine whether Mr. Warmbier had been coerced into making the statements. Some American detainees who have spoken at similar news conferences in Pyongyang later said, after being freed, that they had been forced to confess to crimes and to apologize. |
| The sentencing of Mr. Warmbier comes weeks after the United States and its allies led a successful push for tougher United Nations sanctions against North Korea, to punish the country for its recent tests of a long-range rocket and a nuclear device that it claimed was a hydrogen bomb. The North has since issued a torrent of bellicose statements directed at the United States, including threats to launch “pre-emptive” nuclear strikes. | The sentencing of Mr. Warmbier comes weeks after the United States and its allies led a successful push for tougher United Nations sanctions against North Korea, to punish the country for its recent tests of a long-range rocket and a nuclear device that it claimed was a hydrogen bomb. The North has since issued a torrent of bellicose statements directed at the United States, including threats to launch “pre-emptive” nuclear strikes. |
| Over the years, North Korea has used detained Americans to try to gain diplomatic leverage against Washington. Some detainees were released only after prominent Americans, like the former presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, visited Pyongyang. | Over the years, North Korea has used detained Americans to try to gain diplomatic leverage against Washington. Some detainees were released only after prominent Americans, like the former presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, visited Pyongyang. |
| Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American missionary convicted of trying to establish a secret proselytizing network, was freed in November 2014 after the United States director of national intelligence, James R. Clapper Jr., went to North Korea. Mr. Bae had been sentenced to 15 years of hard labor. | Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American missionary convicted of trying to establish a secret proselytizing network, was freed in November 2014 after the United States director of national intelligence, James R. Clapper Jr., went to North Korea. Mr. Bae had been sentenced to 15 years of hard labor. |
| Another detained American, Matthew Todd Miller, was released at the same time; he had been accused of committing “hostile acts” and sentenced to six years’ hard labor just two months before. | Another detained American, Matthew Todd Miller, was released at the same time; he had been accused of committing “hostile acts” and sentenced to six years’ hard labor just two months before. |