Wednesday, March 16, 2016

American Student gets 15 years hard labor in N. Korea

North Korea has sentenced 21-year-old American student Otto Warmbier to 15 years hard labor for crimes against the state.

Warmbier, an Ohio native, attended the University of Virginia and was detained in January for attempting to steal an item with a propaganda slogan from a hotel in Pyongyang. 

Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch condemned the sentence: "North Korea's sentencing of Otto Warmbier to 15 years hard labor for a college-style prank is outrageous and shocking, and should not be permitted to stand."

Kim Jong Un, Supreme Exalted Divine Leader for Life wanted Warmbier creatively put to death, but thought better of it and decided to lessen the sentence to avoid harsh words from the Obama administration--words that may even include a "red line," and a shaking finger of blame.

In February, Warmbier told a Pyongyang media conference that his crime was "very severe and pre-planned." 

Warmbier was finishing up a 5-day New Year's group tour of North Korea, (because South Korea wasn't cool enough). He was stopped by airport immigration then taken away by government officials, said the tour operator who arranged the trip and wished to remain anonymous as he was not authorized by the bus company to speak truth to power. 

Kim Jong Un bragged that North Korea would soon be testing a nuclear warhead and ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, thumbing his round, baby-safe nose at the U.N. resolution. Once his country obtained nuclear capabilities, he vowed to creatively kill more tourists for crimes against the state.

This is certainly not the first time North Korea has detained foreigners as it uses high profile visitors to add glitz and glamour to the failed country (Dennis Rodman aside). In 2014, three American detainees were released by North Korea, in spite of President Obama's strongest possible condemnation which was laughed at most vigorously by Kim and his posse.

Former Governor Bill Richardson (D-New Mexico) had previously been involved with the release of detainees from North Korea and met with their U.N. Ambassador on Tuesday regarding the release of Warmbier.

"I urge the humanitarian release of Otto, and they agreed to convey our request," Richardson told the NY Times.

About 6,000 Western tourists visit North Korea annually in order to feel superior to the starving nation. The U.S. and Canada think it's a bad idea and advise against it, but there will never be a shortage of stupid people in the West who just gotta see for themselves.


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