Anyone following the US vet detained in North Korea?

[CitizenBBN]

the guy is a US veteran who fought in the Korean War. he went to North Korea, apparently something he's wanted to do for a long time, with a friend. On the plane to leave he was pulled off and detained.

he's now been forced to apologize for "hostile acts" against NK, US calling for his release.

I'm sorry, this will sound unsympathetic, but how stupid and/or naive do you have to be to a) go to NK at all, and b) go having fought AGAINST them in the war?

I sure want him released, think it's an outrage he was detained, but NK specializes in outrageous acts against all international norms and ethical behavior. Hell man, didn't he know about what they did in the war? The attack on the Pueblo? the tunnels and other violations of the Armistice? This government starves its own people, turns its leaders into demi-gods, is the craziest, meanest, most repressive leadership on Earth.

You go there and put yourself completely at their mercy, these insane people who would kill you without thought for their own ends, what are you thinking?

I THINK they'll let him go, but he was a fool to go there. My father served in Korea and if he were alive and wanted to go I'd burn his passport before I'd let him make that trip. I'd sooner go to the Middle East and wear a US flag as a t-shirt.

[dan_bgblue]

I agree with all of the above.

[DanISSELisdaman]

I agree also! I don't understand anyone wanting to visit that maggot hole!

[cattails]

I was in the Vietnam War and it is different going back there ( I haven't gone, don't want to), going to NK is just asking for trouble for anybody.

[CitizenBBN]

I was in the Vietnam War and it is different going back there ( I haven't gone, don't want to), going to NK is just asking for trouble for anybody.

Yeah I'm not going to visit Vietnam any time soon (didn't go, uncle did), but they observe basic rules of behavior, even as a communist nation. They want tourism, don't think every person coming to see the country is there to overthrow the government. In short, they aren't bat crap crazy.

I can see going even though I have no desire, going to NK is just Russian roulette with a passport. Go to SK I get that too, but not NK.

[KSRBEvans]

I'm surprised Americans can travel to North Korea. I don't know the backstory--how'd he get there?

My FIL, who served with the 1st Marine Division in Korea from 1951-1953, said you couldn't pay him enough to go to North Korea. Said he feels sorry for the guy but he had to see that was a possibility, if not a likelihood.

[CitizenBBN]

I'm not sure how he got there, but there are 5-6 US citizens I think detained there since 2009. I imagine you can only do it by going through a country that allows travel, like getting to Cuba. You go to SK and then to NK, but no direct travel is allowed. That's how it usually works when you have no diplomatic relations, you go through a country that allows travel there by foreign nationals.

Obviously the State Dept. recommends no Americans go there, which is like recommending you not put your hand on a hot stove if you ask me.

[cattails]

Yeah I'm not going to visit Vietnam any time soon (didn't go, uncle did), but they observe basic rules of behavior, even as a communist nation. They want tourism, don't think every person coming to see the country is there to overthrow the government. In short, they aren't bat crap crazy.

I can see going even though I have no desire, going to NK is just Russian roulette with a passport. Go to SK I get that too, but not NK.

I have friends that went to Vietnam and had a nice visit, seeing the tunnels and all, while a communist nation, they seem to be very civil. I just have no desire to go back there, just not interested.

[cattails]

I'm surprised Americans can travel to North Korea. I don't know the backstory--how'd he get there?

My FIL, who served with the 1st Marine Division in Korea from 1951-1953, said you couldn't pay him enough to go to North Korea. Said he feels sorry for the guy but he had to see that was a possibility, if not a likelihood.

Just not a smart move, NK is a different animal, we are still at war, that is SK and NK.

[Doc]

the guy is a US veteran who fought in the Korean War. he went to North Korea, apparently something he's wanted to do for a long time, with a friend. On the plane to leave he was pulled off and detained.

he's now been forced to apologize for "hostile acts" against NK, US calling for his release.

I'm sorry, this will sound unsympathetic, but how stupid and/or naive do you have to be to a) go to NK at all, and b) go having fought AGAINST them in the war?

I sure want him released, think it's an outrage he was detained, but NK specializes in outrageous acts against all international norms and ethical behavior. Hell man, didn't he know about what they did in the war? The attack on the Pueblo? the tunnels and other violations of the Armistice? This government starves its own people, turns its leaders into demi-gods, is the craziest, meanest, most repressive leadership on Earth.

You go there and put yourself completely at their mercy, these insane people who would kill you without thought for their own ends, what are you thinking?

I THINK they'll let him go, but he was a fool to go there. My father served in Korea and if he were alive and wanted to go I'd burn his passport before I'd let him make that trip. I'd sooner go to the Middle East and wear a US flag as a t-shirt.

That was my thought as well. Of course that assumes the story is correct rather than a cover story (Yes, I read Vince Flynn novels). Why would a Korean War Veteran want to go to N. Korea? I love travelling and going to different places but N. Korea isn't much different than S. Korea. Visiting either would rank just above a tour of the NYC sewage system, but barely. No, I suspect he was there on "other" business.

[Doc]

I'm surprised Americans can travel to North Korea. I don't know the backstory--how'd he get there?

My FIL, who served with the 1st Marine Division in Korea from 1951-1953, said you couldn't pay him enough to go to North Korea. Said he feels sorry for the guy but he had to see that was a possibility, if not a likelihood.


Would have had to go thru another country. Same way US citizens get to Cuba. Most go thru Canada.

[blueboss]

Apparently now they think he is a spy, during the Korean "police action" he was on a team that trained S Koreans on how to infiltrate the north...he's 85 for shirts sake!!! His name is still on some sort of watch list???

[CitizenBBN]

Not sure he's a spy yet, I'm still teetering between that and just dumb. Usually stupidity is the right answer for most of what people do.

he trained guerillas, may have just wanted to reconnect with some people (NK claims he tried to meet with certain people) out of nostalgia. If he was 40-50 or just out of active duty I may lean that way, but 85 and retired from service for decades? Seems a long way to reach back even for the CIA, and not exactly a good cover.

Like cattails I liken it to a Vietnam vet visiting Vietnam. Some have done it, many more if not most have no desire to return. I keep thinking if the CIA were sending someone to spy in the NK they'd find someone with a deeper cover than an 85 year old retiree who trained guerrillas in the Korean War. Even if he were picked b/c of contacts those he trained are mostly gone by now. The only reason I could figure is if someone or some group he trained were now in positions of knowledge in the NK, like working in the nuclear program, but he didn't train spies, he trained guerrillas. I doubt many of those guys drifted into the NK nuclear program.


Still thinking the way cattails did re Vietnam. But visiting Vietnam even as a vet is pretty safe. The only question would be who he tried to find when he was there. Maybe some of his guys ended up behind lines and the CIA wanted to contact them, thought he'd be someone they'd respond to, though NK security is so tight I doubt we have much intelligence apparatus there other than just paying senior NK people large sums of money.

[cattails]

NK guerrillas other wise known as rock guerrillas IMO were the badest dudes in Vietnam, they would bring in AK-47s to camp and we would trade K-bars for them. Sure glad they were on our side.

[CitizenBBN]

NK guerrillas other wise known as rock guerrillas IMO were the badest dudes in Vietnam, they would bring in AK-47s to camp and we would trade K-bars for them. Sure glad they were on our side.

You've broached on an area of the war of which I was totally unaware. Were they Koreans operating with US forces?

[suncat05]

CBBN, I think he may have mistyped NK when in reality he meant SK.

My cousin, a retired USMC Master Gunnery Sergeant and a very "salty" man(even though he is now an ordained minister with a sizeable congregation in Kurtistown, Hawaii) has told me on several occasions how much he always admired the SK "ROK " Marines because of how tough and totally brutal they are. He told me that he wished his combat training was as tough as theirs is. My cousin absolutely loves and respects the ROK Marines. and was assigned TDY with a ROK Marine unit in combat operations in Vietnam for a short time. He has told me several times that the NVA & Viet Cong were utterly terrified of all of the ROK troops that were involved in combat ops in Vietnam. But to return to subject, I believe cattails has it correct in fact, just mistyped NK for SK.

[suncat05]

Oh, I neglected to add that ROK stands for Republic of Korea, hence the abbreviation ROK, which is what South Korea technically is known as. Apologies for any misunderstanding.

[CitizenBBN]

I was guessing that's where "Rock" came from, ROK, and were SK troops, but I was still unaware of their operations in Vietnam. Interesting.

I'll be curious to see how this plays out. I'm still leaning to act of stupidity, but you never know.

[suncat05]

I was guessing that's where "Rock" came from, ROK, and were SK troops, but I was still unaware of their operations in Vietnam. Interesting.

I'll be curious to see how this plays out. I'm still leaning to act of stupidity, but you never know.

I'm in agreement with you there. It's either that or an interesting back story whose facts may possibly not come to light until many years later. But I do think it would probably be great to hear it.

[cattails]

You've broached on an area of the war of which I was totally unaware. Were they Koreans operating with US forces?

Exactly, they were special forces, elite gorilla warfare trained and there was nothing they wouldn't do, Laos and Cambodia were in play for these guys. Ruthless killing machines. Web site https://www.google.com/search?q=vietnam+war+korean+marines&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Q0uiUoDtDJGDrQG3h4CQAw&ved=0CDcQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=605

[cattails]

CBBN, I think he may have mistyped NK when in reality he meant SK.

My cousin, a retired USMC Master Gunnery Sergeant and a very "salty" man(even though he is now an ordained minister with a sizeable congregation in Kurtistown, Hawaii) has told me on several occasions how much he always admired the SK "ROK " Marines because of how tough and totally brutal they are. He told me that he wished his combat training was as tough as theirs is. My cousin absolutely loves and respects the ROK Marines. and was assigned TDY with a ROK Marine unit in combat operations in Vietnam for a short time. He has told me several times that the NVA & Viet Cong were utterly terrified of all of the ROK troops that were involved in combat ops in Vietnam. But to return to subject, I believe cattails has it correct in fact, just mistyped NK for SK.

Ha ha, yes I did, they were South, my bad. We just called them rock gorilla, ROK is correct

[Doc]

Released and back in the USA-link (http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/07/world/asia/north-korea-american-newman/)