North Korea Makes 85 Year Old "Confess" To His War Crimes

[amboy49]

Aren't we a member of the all powerfull United Nations ? You know, that august body of world powers that have the ability to change world order. The organization that is heavily funded by the United States - that doesn't give a crap about U.S. policy. Let's let the U.N. impose sanctions on N. Korea. Oh, forgot that would also take an affirmative vote - which China, Russia, and an additional conglomerate of other third world countries headed by despots, dictators, and tyrants would fail to do.

I don't think the captured gentleman demonstrated very good common sense with his travel itinerary - especially if he expected the United States governmet to come to his aid if needed. I guess he should consider himself luckier than the U.S. diplomat that was murdered in Benghazi. We (the U.S.) handled that really well - with full and open disclosure !

 

[jdmack79]

North Korea is near the top on my list of nations to visit. I'd love to go there. It would be like stepping back in time fifty years from both an infrastructure and information prospective.

They aren't taking people hostage for no reason. In this guys confession he mentions trying to get his guide to contact people he met during the Korean War. I understand that most of his confession is forced, but that part sure sounds believable. I'm sure he had been briefed before his departure in China to walk on eggshells while in the DPRK.

This guy was an absolute moron for not following the rules. In a place like that you have to abide by their rules, like them or not. Why on Earth would he try to contact regular people in the DPRK through his guide. Anybody would assume that the guides are spies/loyal commies/informants.

 

[Denny347]

I don't think the captured gentleman demonstrated very good common sense with his travel itinerary !

I'm not going to poopoo the guy for going over there. Not having lived his life, I have no idea how strong the push for him to revisit his past. Some things are too strong to ignore...even knowing the risks. He's 85 and likely knew the risks he was facing but at 85 years old, I imagine he didn't care. He lived his life, why they hell not? Who am I to judge him?

 

[cobber]

The government will adapt much like China or it will fall, possibly within my lifetime.

I'm guessing coup d'etat, with covert support from China. Then market reforms and very limited political reforms. But time in general is running out for the North.

 

[actaeon277]

North Korea is near the top on my list of nations to visit. I'd love to go there. It would be like stepping back in time fifty years from both an infrastructure and information prospective.

They aren't taking people hostage for no reason. In this guys confession he mentions trying to get his guide to contact people he met during the Korean War. I understand that most of his confession is forced, but that part sure sounds believable. I'm sure he had been briefed before his departure in China to walk on eggshells while in the DPRK.

This guy was an absolute moron for not following the rules. In a place like that you have to abide by their rules, like them or not. Why on Earth would he try to contact regular people in the DPRK through his guide. Anybody would assume that the guides are spies/loyal commies/informants.

In a confession released from North Korea, ignore everything from the time the camera turns on till the camera turns off.
Do you honestly believe they were waiting for him to "break the rules"?

 

[Jludo]

Somebody get a hold of Dennis Rodman, I'm sure he could go get the guy.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Sounds like a job for explosive ordnance to me.

 

[jdmack79]

Do you honestly believe they were waiting for him to "break the rules"?

Yes. While traveling in DPRK you are required to always have a government handler with you. Their job is to keep you from breaking the rules.

 

[actaeon277]

Yes. While traveling in DPRK you are required to always have a government handler with you. Their job is to keep you from breaking the rules.

And what is to stop the North Korean government from just saying that you violated such and such a rule?

 

[jdmack79]

And what is to stop the North Korean government from just saying that you violated such and such a rule?

Nothing. I don't understand what point you're trying to make. Holding an elderly man hostage does not make good PR. I'd imagine they have a reason.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Nothing. I don't understand what point you're trying to make. Holding an elderly man hostage does not make good PR. I'd imagine they have a reason.

Perhaps to convince their own people that they are extremely vengeful, never forget, and have no fear of anyone, including us? Sounds like perfect mass intimidation to me.

 

[MCgrease08]

Nothing. I don't understand what point you're trying to make. Holding an elderly man hostage does not make good PR. I'd imagine they have a reason.

I hardly think N. Korea is worried about good or bad PR.

 

[jdmack79]

I hardly think N. Korea is worried about good or bad PR.

They are obsessed with it. This is a country that built the worlds largest hotel that not only has just one occupied floor, but is also not finished on the interior. They build entire show towns near the border. I doubt there is another nation on this planet as obsessed with their image as the DPRK.

 

[Redtbird]

I think I'm going to go on vacation to some country that hates America and Americans with a passion and has a history of grabbing our people and locking them up.




Some people are just stupid.

Um, that would be the United States, wouldn't it?

 

[iauffenberg]

may we look to Dennis Rodman to bring this guy home seems like he has some pull over there

 

[rambone]

North Korea is near the top on my list of nations to visit. I'd love to go there. It would be like stepping back in time fifty years from both an infrastructure and information prospective.

If there were some way to avoid state abduction, it really would be interesting to see what that place is really like. I watched a documentary where a film crew was allowed to take a closely-monitored tour and it was one of the strangest things I've ever seen.

 

[actaeon277]

They are obsessed with it. This is a country that built the worlds largest hotel that not only has just one occupied floor, but is also not finished on the interior. They build entire show towns near the border. I doubt there is another nation on this planet as obsessed with their image as the DPRK.

Well then, all them other times they "coerced" people into "confessing" must be imagined.

Didn't the wife/girlfriend of the Dear Leader just disappear?

 

[Steell]

Point #1, the US and N Korea are still at war.
Point #2 guy ran a very successful guerrilla group of Koreans that operated behind the N Korean lines.
Point #3 The group was the most successful behind the lines operation, and the N Koreans never forgot it.

American Held In North Korea Reportedly Oversaw Guerrilla Group In War : The Two-Way : NPR

 

[Blackhawk2001]

When I was in Korea from '74 to '75, I refused to even visit Panmunjam. Not the smartest thing in the world to place yourself in the way of crazies who do unspeakable things for unbelievably incomprehensible reasons. If you're forced to live next door to crazy people (and I was living less than 5 miles from them at the time) why expose yourself to their craziness unnecessarily? Of course, I feel somewhat the same way about ex-GIs who visit Vietnam, too, so maybe it's just me . . .

 

[actaeon277]

And worrying about their image?

That must be why they shoot across the dmz.
And make theats about artillery shelling.
And put commandos in mini subs and drop them off South's coast.