The Washington Post reports that the veteran who is imprisoned in North Korea, Merrill Newman, was actually an adviser to North Korean guerrillas fighting against the Stalinist government 60 years ago.
“Why did he go to North Korea?” asked Park Boo Seo, a former member of the Kuwol partisan unit, which is still loathed in Pyongyang and glorified in Seoul for the damage it inflicted on the North during the war. “The North Koreans still gnash their teeth at the Kuwol unit.”
Park and several other former guerrillas said they recognized Newman from his past visits to Seoul in 2003 and 2010 — when they ate raw fish and drank soju, Korean liquor — and from the TV footage, which was also broadcast in South Korea.
So, yeah, he shouldn’t have been detained, but communists have long memories. The Russians still mistrust us for our efforts to rescue the Czech Legion in 1920, for Pete’s sake. I’m sure they’ll trade him for some free fuel oil, or maybe they’ll take Dennis Rodman for him. Or Jesse Jackson.
No, he shouldn’t be detained but dang…not a smart place to go….
We can’t send Rodman. He went home a few weeks ago.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/20/mike-tyson-returns-holyfield-ear-ad-video_n_4312013.html
Why the hell he went there is a good question, it sure would be nice though if our State Department would grow some flipping balls and get him out of there though.
The fact he’s been there not once but at least three times now, seems to me he was just tempting fate.
@3: Our State Department grow balls? Under this administration?? I don’t care who ya are, that’s funny right there.
Sparky, I believe his previous visits were to South Korea.
Whoops–damn. RIF. Thanks, H1.
Still and all, not exactly a bright idea going to a place where they still think it’s 1953 and a state of war exists, which technically it does.
The US State Department can’t/won’t act directly, because the US does not have a diplomatic ‘relationship’ with North Korea. The Swedish government does have a diplomat in Pyongyang, which is how we are getting any info at all.
Considering the inept behavior of the most recent US SecStates, it might be for the best if things proceed as they are.
Let’s just hope the Nork dog and pony show ends on a positive note for Newman, and soon, too.
As “odd” as this is unfolding maybe there was a real or imagined, continuing OP?
Using him for eyes on evaluation of the regime or clandestine LU with some stay behinds?
Or, just some old guy wondering how it worked out up north.
My mother used to say if you go looking for trouble you will find it. Not just this guy, all of those who entered North Korea or Iran knowing eyes wide open, then were arrested. Those kids from Seattle “innocently” hiking in Iran, like they had the only freakin mountins in that part of the world. The guy who entered NK from China to preach or do something to pee them off, the former FBI agent in Iran, some guy in Cuba, I think there was one in Columbia doing something, now this guy. The State Department, such as it is, publishes a no travel list and if people are dumb enough to go to these places they should be on their own.
@5, yes that was a sarcastic remark on my part… I have no such allusions that a Department Run by a sackless wonder like good ole Lurch would ever have any real intestinal fortitude.
Long memories can work both ways. When Castro’s Cuba falls…let’s get the Cubans who beat , tortured (and killed at least one) of our POWs in North Vietnam. Never forget!
It’s possible the Norks knew about Mr. Newman’s involvement with this unit, and this was the reason he was detained. It’s also very possible that they decided they needed a bargaining chip, decided to pluck a random American (remember, this is the country that has been known to abduct random Japanese citizens off the street IN JAPAN and take them to North Korea), and it’s a complete coincidence that the unlucky winner used to be a part of this unit.
Given that the latter is at least a possibility, WHY THE FUCK WOULD THE POST REPORT THIS?!?!?
Why? Because a news report at noon is that Kim Jong-un has fired/dismissed his uncle, who used to run the government, and two other people have been executed.
Something is stirring over there. Something is making the pot boil.
Here’s a link to ABC’s story on it. http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/national_world&id=9347631
Latest, this time from South Korea: http://msnvideo.msn.com/?videoid=dbda759f-9f3a-1b76-49a3-21d0b571405c&channelindex=10&from=en-us_msnhp>1=42010
Also, there seems to be some political turnover going on in Norkland, but won’t know much until morning.
Kim Jong-un may have ‘fired’ his uncle, who actually runs the government, however, at least two people have been executed, with no explanation given for that.
This is an update on this story:
http://news.msn.com/world/n-korea-says-it-has-deported-elderly-us-tourist