The Cost ofStealing a Sign: 15 Years of Hard Labor

North Korea’sSupreme Court convicted Otto Warmbier, a 21-year-old student at the Universityof Virginia, of subversion and sentenced him to 15 years of prison and hardlabor.

Here’s atimeline of events that resulted in the conviction of the native of Wyoming,Ohio:

—December 29,2015: Warmbier arrives in North Korea as part of a tour group.

—January 2:He is detained at Pyongyang airport while leaving the ｃountry, according toYoung Pioneers, the tour company with which he was traveling.

—January 22:North Korea made his arrest public, saying Warmbier was detained for“anti-republic activities.”

—February 29:Warmbier was made by North Korean authorities to publicly confess to hisalleged crime: stealing a propaganda sign from his hotel.

—March 16:Warmbier is convicted and sentenced to 15 years of prison and hard labor.

It’s unclearif Warmbier’s public confession was coerced. His hands were free and he worecivilian clothes as he read from a prepared statement on February 29. In it, hecalled his alleged actions “the worst mistake of my life,” and said he did itat the behest of a member of the Friendship United Methodist Church in hishometown that wanted it “as a trophy.” In exchange, he said, he would receive aused car worth $10,000. His actions, he said, were also on behalf of the ZSociety, a college group at the University of Virginia that Pyongyang allegesis a front for the CIA. Both the church and the Z Society have rejected theclaims.

Warmbier’sconviction comes amid increased tensions between the U.S. and North Korea overits nuclear test in January and missile launch. Those actions prompted enhancedUN sanctions, as well as U.S. sanctions that were announced Wednesday, againstthe North, which responded with threats against South Korea, Japan, and theU.S.

Pyongyangcould be using Warmbier as a bargaining chip to earn concessions from the U.S.It would not be a new approach. The U.S. and North Korea do not have diplomaticrelations, and U.S. interests in Pyongyang are handled by Sweden. This doesn’tprevent American tourists from visiting, but it does complicate Warmbier’sfate—though other Americans who have been jailed in North Korea have been freedfollowing high-profile visits to the ｃountry by American dignitaries.

Warmbier’salleged crime—stealing a propaganda sign from a hotel—may sound trivial, but itis in line with other actions that have resulted in charges against Americansvisiting North Korea. One recent visitor was detained for leaving a Bible at arestaurant, another for tearing up his tourist visa. Both were later freedfollowing U.S. intervention, as was a Korean-American missionary.

There is atleast one other American in detention in North Korea—a South Korea-bornnaturalized U.S. citizen who was detained last October on espionage charges.

Source: http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/03/north-korea-american-tourist-sentenced/474000/

Image Source:http://cdn.theatlantic.com/assets/media/img/mt/2016/03/AP_756876066214/lead_large.jpg?1458138108

Vocabulary:

1. Subversion– noun The undermining of the power and authority of an established system orinstitution.

2. Conviction– noun A formal declaration by the verdict of a jury or the decision of a judgein a court of law that someone is guilty of a criminal offence.

3. Alleged –adj. Said, without proof, to have taken place or to have a specified illegal orundesirable quality.

4. Detain –verb Keep (someone) from proceeding by holding them back or making claims ontheir attention.

5.  Behest – noun A person’s orders or command.

6. Sanction –noun A threatened penalty for disobeying a law or rule.

7.  Propaganda – noun Information, especially ofa biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point ofview.

8. Espionage –noun The practice of spying or of using spies, typically by governments toobtain political and military information.

Discussion:

1. What doyou think of Otto Warmbier’s act? Would you do the same for $10,000?

2. Do youthink that his punishment is too harsh? Why or why not?

3. Would youagree that he should be released?

4. Was hegiven a fair trial? Why do you think so?

5. Do youbelieve that his human rights were violated? Why do you think so?