North Korea gives 15-year sentence to American tourist

As another week comes and goes, another round of U.S. and North Korean tension begins.  The latest conflict involves the arrest and sentencing of a Korean American tourist to 15 years in a North Korean labor camp. This is, obviously, not the sort of punishment that we here in the U.S. would exactly call normal, but the issue at hand is not the fate of the citizen, but what North Korea hopes to gain from negotiating their release.

The man involved is known for being a generous person, having entered into North Korea on occasions in the past to work with and help North Korean orphans. This time around he was part of a tourist group that was in the city of Rajin. For whatever unknown reason, he was detained back in November of 2012 and has been held ever since. 

Now, his sentence has been passed and the stakes have risen. His crimes are a mystery, though the DPRK has said he is guilty of “hostile acts” and crimes against the state. Speculation has it that the man is guilty of little more than taking pictures of the country’s starving children, of which there are many.

In response, the U.S. has asked for North Korea to give the man amnesty. They have also begun working with other embassies to arrange a successful outcome in the matter. This is, most likely, exactly what North Korea was hoping for. They've used the negotiation of arrested foreigners as a leverage point in the past, showing their “good will” when they release them. 

The real purpose is to use the person to make it appear as if those coming to negotiate the release are paying homage to the North Korean government. It’s all a bit of a sick political game that tends to end the same way every time. Ex-president Jimmy Carter has stepped up to bat in times past, though he says he won’t become involved this time around.  No doubt, someone important will and the cycle will repeat.

The U.S, has already stated that they will not allow this incident to affect current talks with the DPRK concerning their nuclear program and missile testing.  Somehow, I don’t think that North Korea will see it quite the same way.  Still, to ensure safe passage of an American citizen, something will have to be done regardless.

North Korean soldiers photo courtesy of James Mossman via Wikicommons