Originally posted by the Voice of America.
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             North Korea Convicts US College Student of Subversion

   by VOA News

   North Korea has sentenced an American college student to 15 years of
   hard labor for committing crimes against the state.

   Otto Warmbier was arrested in North Korea in January as he was trying
   to leave the country after visiting with a tour group.  During an
   appearance before a group of foreign and domestic journalists in
   Pyongyang last month, the 21-year-old student at the University of
   Virginia admitted to removing a banner with a political slogan from a
   staff-only area of the hotel where the group was staying.

   Warmbier said the mother of a friend offered him a used car worth
   $10,000 in exchange for the banner, which she wanted to display as a
   "trophy" in her church. The woman said if he was caught, Warmbier's
   mother would get $200,000.

   North Korea has often detained Americans and other foreign citizens on
   trumped up charges. The detainees are usually brought before foreign
   journalists to read statements confessing to crimes committed against
   the dictatorial regime.  The statements are widely considered to have
   been coerced, and detainees often recant their confessions after their
   release.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/north-korea-convicts-us-college-stude
   nt-of-subversion/3239694.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/north-korea-convicts-us-college-student-of-subversion/3239694.html