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North Korea 'detains US tourist' at immigration

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donsutherland1

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From the BBC:

North Korea has detained a 24-year-old US tourist, reportedly for "rash behaviour" at immigration, the state news agency says...

KCNA said Mr Todd had torn up his tourist visa, shouting that he had "come to the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) after choosing it as a shelter".
Click to expand...

BBC News - North Korea 'detains US tourist' at immigration

From the Department of State's travel warnings:

The Department of State recommends against all travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK). This replaces the Travel Warning for North Korea of October 1, to update information on the risk of arbitrary arrest and detention of U.S. citizens in North Korea.

Travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea is not routine, and U.S. citizens crossing into North Korea, even accidentally, have been subject to arbitrary arrest and long-term detention. Since January 2009, four U.S. citizens have been arrested for entering North Korea illegally, and two U.S. citizens who entered on valid DPRK visas were arrested inside North Korea on other charges. The Department of State has also received reports of DPRK authorities arbitrarily detaining U.S. citizens and not allowing them to depart the country...

North Korea Travel Warning
 
A shelter from what?
 
ecofarm said:
A shelter from what?
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If, in fact the account of his behavior is accurate, it seems that he has some psychological issues. In any case, I'm not sure if the "shelter" he will be receiving is exactly what he had in mind. It's amazing how many people ignore the State Department's warnings, even as North Korea's detentions have had widespread news coverage.
 
donsutherland1 said:
If, in fact the account of his behavior is accurate, it seems that he has some psychological issues. In any case, I'm not sure if the "shelter" he will be receiving is exactly what he had in mind. It's amazing how many people ignore the State Department's warnings, even as North Korea's detentions have had widespread news coverage.
Click to expand...

I still wonder what the guy was, supposedly was, or thought he was, running from, and why he figured NK was the best place to hide.
 
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donsutherland1 said:
From the BBC:



BBC News - North Korea 'detains US tourist' at immigration

From the Department of State's travel warnings:

The Department of State recommends against all travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK). This replaces the Travel Warning for North Korea of October 1, to update information on the risk of arbitrary arrest and detention of U.S. citizens in North Korea.

Travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea is not routine, and U.S. citizens crossing into North Korea, even accidentally, have been subject to arbitrary arrest and long-term detention. Since January 2009, four U.S. citizens have been arrested for entering North Korea illegally, and two U.S. citizens who entered on valid DPRK visas were arrested inside North Korea on other charges. The Department of State has also received reports of DPRK authorities arbitrarily detaining U.S. citizens and not allowing them to depart the country...

North Korea Travel Warning
Click to expand...


North Korea has a history of kidnapping people.Anyone who goes to North Korea and get detained deserves it.Its like someone who knowingly runs out the middle of the highway and gets ran over,
 
donsutherland1 said:
From the BBC:



BBC News - North Korea 'detains US tourist' at immigration

From the Department of State's travel warnings:

The Department of State recommends against all travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK). This replaces the Travel Warning for North Korea of October 1, to update information on the risk of arbitrary arrest and detention of U.S. citizens in North Korea.

Travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea is not routine, and U.S. citizens crossing into North Korea, even accidentally, have been subject to arbitrary arrest and long-term detention. Since January 2009, four U.S. citizens have been arrested for entering North Korea illegally, and two U.S. citizens who entered on valid DPRK visas were arrested inside North Korea on other charges. The Department of State has also received reports of DPRK authorities arbitrarily detaining U.S. citizens and not allowing them to depart the country...

North Korea Travel Warning
Click to expand...

Sounds like somebody really wanted the Darwin award this year.
 
Dennis Rodman is about 50 or I would think he was drinking again.
 
Sounds like 'rash behavior' to me.

After this guy spends about 50 years in a DPRK labor camp he might decide that the USA isn't such a bad place after all.
 
donsutherland1 said:
From the BBC: BBC News - North Korea 'detains US tourist' at immigration From the Department of State's travel warnings: The Department of State recommends against all travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK). This replaces the Travel Warning for North Korea of October 1, to update information on the risk of arbitrary arrest and detention of U.S. citizens in North Korea. Travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea is not routine, and U.S. citizens crossing into North Korea, even accidentally, have been subject to arbitrary arrest and long-term detention. Since January 2009, four U.S. citizens have been arrested for entering North Korea illegally, and two U.S. citizens who entered on valid DPRK visas were arrested inside North Korea on other charges. The Department of State has also received reports of DPRK authorities arbitrarily detaining U.S. citizens and not allowing them to depart the country... North Korea Travel Warning
Click to expand...
Just out of curiosity, how do y'all, who think this is horrible somehow, think the US would handle a similar situation. Now it might escalate into way more than what we'd do here if someone did the same thing, but at this point.... IF the account is accurate of him tearing up his VISA and seemingly wanting asylum, I think we'd detain him for a while as well til we figured out what the heck was going on.
 
We're allowing people to travel to NK why, again?
 
Helix said:
We're allowing people to travel to NK why, again?
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You can't stop their direct travel, I looked into it once, you go through tour companies running out of Beijing, it's the only way to go there.
 
I think if your travelling to N.Korea then your fair game at this point.
 
Helix said:
We're allowing people to travel to NK why, again?
Click to expand...

Why, indeed.
Why would anyone want to visit NK?
Bad climate---political and meteorological.
Bad culture---how many tributes to "dear leader" can a person stomach?
Bad booze---I suspect Korean made spirits are not a taste treat.
Bad beaches---I've never seen a Corona commercial filmed on a NK beach.

I have heard the missile launches and saber-rattling are first-rate, though.;)
 
Jetboogieman said:
You can't stop their direct travel, I looked into it once, you go through tour companies running out of Beijing, it's the only way to go there.
Click to expand...

ah, i see.
 
radioman said:
Why, indeed.
Why would anyone want to visit NK?
Bad climate---political and meteorological.
Bad culture---how many tributes to "dear leader" can a person stomach?
Bad booze---I suspect Korean made spirits are not a taste treat.
Bad beaches---I've never seen a Corona commercial filmed on a NK beach.

I have heard the missile launches and saber-rattling are first-rate, though.;)
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it's the taboo of it. i watched the Vice video they made after they sneaked in. it was interesting, but they were really putting their asses on the line by traveling there. every American who goes there is a potential bargaining chip.
 
radioman said:
Why, indeed.
Why would anyone want to visit NK?
Bad climate---political and meteorological.
Bad culture---how many tributes to "dear leader" can a person stomach?
Bad booze---I suspect Korean made spirits are not a taste treat.
Bad beaches---I've never seen a Corona commercial filmed on a NK beach.

I have heard the missile launches and saber-rattling are first-rate, though.;)
Click to expand...

Booze-Depends on taste. I find most American food absolutely unedible while Korean spirits are a delight to Koreans.
Beaches-I doubt they would allow a commercial to be filmed there, anyhow, you're right about that
Climate-I would argue that it's patently false as SK has a fairly balanced climate with all four seasons but NK is more north (obviously) so I would have no idea actually.
 
I think I know who this person is. He was a forumer on another forum I frequent called Nationstates, and went by the name of "Dokrib Choseon". He was devoted to protecting and promoting North Korea to the point of fanaticism and stated that he was going to travel to North Korea sometime around April 10. The person in question is also a teacher in China and recently announced that he had adopted it as his new "homeland".

Here's his blog.
 
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