Thread: NorK detains US missionary

Here is goes again with another border jumper.

Location of U.S. Christian Missionary In North Korea Unknown
Saturday, December 26, 2009

SEOUL, South Korea — An American Christian missionary slipped into isolated North Korea on Christmas Day, shouting that he brought God's love and carrying a letter urging leader Kim Jong Il to step down and free all political prisoners, an activist said Saturday.

Robert Park, 28, crossed a poorly guarded stretch of the frozen Tumen River that separates North Korea from China, according to a member of the Seoul-based group Pax Koreana, which promotes human rights in the North. Two other activists apparently watched and filmed the entry.

"I am an American citizen. I brought God's love. God loves you and God bless you," Park reportedly said in fluent Korean as he crossed over Friday near the northeastern city of Hoeryong, according to the activist, citing the two who witnessed the scene. Pax Koreana planned to release the footage Sunday in Seoul, he said. He spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.

No information has emerged about what happened next to Park, who is of Korean descent. The communist country's state-run media was silent. The State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Beijing said they were aware of the incident but had no details.

"The U.S. government places the highest priority on the protection and welfare of American citizens," said State Department spokesman Andrew Laine.

The illegal entry could complicate Washington's efforts to coax North Korea back to negotiations aimed at its nuclear disarmament. Park's crossing also comes just months after the country freed two U.S. journalists, who were arrested along the Tumen and sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for trespassing and "hostile acts." They were released to former President Bill Clinton on a visit to the isolated country in August. North Korea and the United States do not have diplomatic relations.

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Location of U.S. Christian Missionary In North Korea Unknown - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com

Whilst naturally I wish no harm comes to the man, IMO this stuff just can't be condoned, and it shouldn't be the cause for giving NorK any diplomatic leverage with the US. Far too often, some foolish US citizen wishes to go play inside or along the borders of Iran or NorK and when they get picked up, then the US has the problem of trying to secure their return, release and/or fair treatment, and these regimes get to conduct public relations stunts and get US attention (or even deal leverages) paid to them in order to do so.

Rather, it's well overdue IMO that the US:

1) make it a serious federal criminal offence to illegally enter Iran or NorK upon conduct that would be the same or substantially similar to a violation of US border entry laws (e.g., entry without inspection, use of fraudulent documents, etc),
2) place a general travel ban for US citizens for entering NorK and Iran given they are deemed hostile and no diplomatic relations exist between the nations which, if violated, also will constitute a criminal offence and/or civil fine. Further, such people desiring to violate the ban will also be forewarned that the US will not bargain unduly on their behalf. US State Department approval may, however, be given to certain individuals for various department-approved reasons prior to entry.
3) violators' passport privileges will be suspended for notable time periods so that violating citizens will be restrained inside the US to avoid and discourage future noncompliance as well as discourage others who might consider violating such travel restrictions.

Enough is enough with these kinds of foolish travellers who cause these problems for the US.

This guy is an idiot. He deserves what is happening to him.