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WORLD NEWSThursday 17 March 2016

North Korea sentences US tourist to 15 years in pr

American student Otto Warmbier, center, is escorted at the Supreme Court in Pyongyang, North Warmbier’s sentence was presidential hopeful John
Korea, Wednesday, March 16, 2016. North Korea’s highest court sentenced Warmbier, a 21-year- “unduly harsh” and urged Kasich said in a statement
old University of Virginia undergraduate student, from Wyoming, Ohio, to 15 years in prison with North Korea to pardon him that Warmbier’s was de-
hard labor on Wednesday for subversion. He allegedly attempted to steal a propaganda banner and release him on human- tention “completely un-
from a restricted area of his hotel at the request of an acquaintance who wanted to hang it in her itarian grounds. justified” and that the sen-
church. “Despite official claims tence was “an affront to
that U.S. citizens arrested concepts of justice.”
JON CHOL JIN The U.S. government con- rean Peninsula. in the DPRK are not used Bill Richardson, a for-
ERIC TALMADGE demned the sentence and Tensions are particularly for political purposes, it’s mer U.S. ambassador to
Associated Press accused North Korea of us- high following North Ko- increasingly clear from its the United Nations, said
PYONGYANG, North Korea ing such American detain- rea’s recent nuclear test very public treatment of he had met with North Ko-
(AP) — North Korea’s high- ees as political pawns. and rocket launch, and these cases that the DPRK rean diplomats to the U.N.
est court sentenced an The court held that Warm- massive joint military exer- does exactly that,” Toner in New York on Tuesday to
American tourist to 15 years bier had committed a cises now underway be- told reporters, referring request Warmbier’s release
in prison with hard labor for crime “pursuant to the U.S. tween the U.S. and South to the North by its official after the student’s parents
subversion on Wednesday, government’s hostile policy Korea that the North sees name, the Democratic and Kasich asked him to
weeks after authorities pre- toward (the North), in a as a dress rehearsal for in- People’s Republic of Korea. intervene. Richardson said
sented him to media and bid to impair the unity of its vasion. Warmbier’s family in Wyo- he was neither encour-
he tearfully confessed that people after entering it as President Barack Obama ming, Ohio, could not be aged nor discouraged by
he had tried to steal a pro- a tourist.” on Wednesday imposed reached for comment. the meeting with the dip-
paganda banner. North Korea regularly ac- new U.S. sanctions on North Susanna Max, a spokes- lomats, who told him they
Otto Warmbier, 21, a Uni- cuses Washington and Korea in response to what woman for Wyoming City would relay his request to
versity of Virginia under- Seoul of sending spies to the White House called “il- Schools, said last month Pyongyang.
graduate, was convicted overthrow its government licit” nuclear and ballistic that the district, where Richardson said based on
and sentenced in a one- to enable the U.S.-backed missile tests. Otto Warmbier attended past experience, North Ko-
hour trial in North Korea’s South Korean government U.S. State Department school, had been in touch rea could release Warm-
Supreme Court. to take control of the Ko- spokesman Mark Toner said with the family. She said bier after sentencing, but
Wednesday that the dis- current U.S.-North Korean
trict continues “to respect tensions could hurt those
their privacy” and declines prospects.
to comment. The University “My concern now is that
of Virginia also declined to the U.S.-North Korean re-
comment. lationship is in a very low,
Before the trial, Warmbier negative ebb, and I hope
had said he tried to steal that does not affect a hu-
a propaganda banner as manitarian negotiation for
a trophy for an acquain- the release of Otto,” Rich-
tance who wanted to hang ardson told The Associated
it in her church. That would Press.
be grounds in North Korea Trials for foreigners facing
for a subversion charge. similar charges in North
He identified the church as Korea are generally short
Friendship United Methodist and punishments severe.
Church. Meshach Kanyion, Warmbier was arrested as
pastor of the church in Wy- he tried to leave the coun-
oming, declined to com- try in early January. He was
ment Wednesday. in North Korea with a New
Ohio Gov. and Republican Year’s tour group.