N Korea sentences U.S. student to 15 years hard labor

Stupid is as stupid does. The next question is how much time and money will be spent to negotiate the release. NK needs American currency. It is not above ransom. But the real question is, "Why do people go to NK in the first place." It is like swimming in shark infested water.

One theory has it that he did this as a prank for his college fraternity. The official story, according to this article, is that he was sent to steal the banner in exchange for a used car from a church he may or may not be affiliated with:

A commerce major at one of the most prestigious universities in the United States thinks his only real opportunity to make money is stealing a political banner in a communist country in exchange for a used car. You can’t make this stuff up. Unless, of course, you made it up. Which is how the North Korean government operates.

http://mimesislaw.com/fault-lines/north-korea-bad-place-for-pranks/7285

Moral of story, kids? Never, ever go to North Korea if you are American. Not only would your visit support the oppressive regime, you might well end up in the gulag.

Don't the NKs know that it is a national pastime in the US to steal stuff from hotels? Who is more stupid here?

The member—the mother of a friend of Warmbier’s—had promised him a used car worth $10,000 if he succeeded and a payment of $200,000 to his family if he was detained, the media said.

Well never has anyone won a dare in such an emphatic manner, he is indeed 'detained'! Seriously, what were he and his church mates thinking? Can't do more stupid than that. North Koreans must be laughing their head off 'westerners are idiots'. Yep we do have a few.

He will be released in due time. It's just a scare tactic by NK. Someone will bail him out. Not a smart move on his part, but he'll learn.

Not only was he dumb enough to go to NK but he stole while he was there. He gets no sympathy from me.

Neutered would have been just punishment. Wipe out that gene pool line.

@nandakandamanda

Don't the NKs know that it is a national pastime in the US to steal stuff from hotels? Who is more stupid here?

But don't the USs know that NKs take this sort of thing very seriously and don't really have a sense of humour about it? Besides, theft is theft. If you get caught stealing in any country you will expect to get some sort of penalty. Whatever else we might think or believe about NK and its political quirks, if he did the crime, he does the time.

President Trump will get him released.

Darwin in action.

Governments shouldn't pay to get such imbeciles released from an insane regime that simply holds foreigners for ransom.

The Fat Chogga in charge needs taking out. China should deal with it, or at least pay for it if their military isn't up to the job.

I tremble thinking what the sentence might be if he'd tried to pull a similar stunt in Saudi Arabia.

He won´t spend 15 years. He is hard currency for the fat dictator, and Obama will bail him out. Question is, will he ever pay back the taxpayer money paid for him?`Not holding my breath.

For $70 you can take a DMZ tour from Seoul and buy those propaganda paraphernalia. For a little extra you can walk across the border at the train platform to get your passport stamped and walk back.

The member—the mother of a friend of Warmbier’s—had promised him a used car worth $10,000 if he succeeded and a payment of $200,000 to his family if he was detained, the media said.

-Seems to be a sucker for scams.

Typical culturally insensitive American!

We don't know if he had been a known thief in where he lives. People do not become a thief suddenly. Proberbly Asian country hotels are altered by American thieves by now.

Typical culturally insensitive American!

Agreed, perhaps we should send some of my fellow Brits over for an away match to show North Koreans what being culturally sensitive is all about.

It's amazing how many of you are so quick to take N. Korea's word at face value. Who knows if this kid actually did anything. N. Korea is well known to make people confess to things they never did.

Let him rot. I have no sympathy for this idiot.

Let him rot. I have no sympathy for this idiot.

So you believe the North Korean's word at face value that what they said happened, actually happened?

Only American's dumbo goes to N Korea..

In short,

On its website, the US state department strongly discourages all travel to North Korea, with which Washington does not have diplomatic relations, and warns of the “risk of arrest and long-term detention”.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/16/north-korea-sentences-us-student-to-15-years-hard-labour

He said why he did in American English, not with Korean language. In some countries,, guilty until proven innocent.

Typical stupid situation that will waste tax payers money. The USA should forbid US citizens from entering DRNK unless on a government authorized visit. If you break that rule you get jail time in the USA plus have your passport permanently revoked.

@deadbeetles Ok lets let every numb nut with a passport go to north korea, get arrested, tried by a kangaroo court and the USA tax payers need to shell out millions to get them back as well as heighten tensions between all the neighboring countries as well as have to spend more millions on military preparations. All for some dumb idiot who should work the rest of his life in a maximum security prison breaking boulders with a tack hammer to pay back the millions of wasted money to save his dumb rear end. I say let those turkeys rot in the DRNK.

It appears that "let the punishment fit the crime" does not apply in North Korea.

15 years later when he is released from jail, he has to get a job to earn money to get back to USA. US gov't will not pay as both countries do not have relationship.

@1glenn

It appears that "let the punishment fit the crime" does not apply in North Korea.

Hey, it could be worse! Consider the penalty in some middle eastern countries!