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| North Korea makes its case against Kenneth Bae | North Korea makes its case against Kenneth Bae |
| (8 days later) | |
| North Korea has delivered its most in-depth account yet of the case against a Korean-American sentenced to 15 years' hard labour, accusing him of smuggling in inflammatory literature and trying to establish a base for anti-Pyongyang activities at a border city hotel. | North Korea has delivered its most in-depth account yet of the case against a Korean-American sentenced to 15 years' hard labour, accusing him of smuggling in inflammatory literature and trying to establish a base for anti-Pyongyang activities at a border city hotel. |
| Yet, the long list of allegations included no statement from Kenneth Bae, other than claims that he confessed and didn't want an attorney present during his sentencing last week for what Pyongyang called hostile acts against the state. | Yet, the long list of allegations included no statement from Kenneth Bae, other than claims that he confessed and didn't want an attorney present during his sentencing last week for what Pyongyang called hostile acts against the state. |
| Since the sentencing came during a period of tentative diplomatic moves following weeks of high tension and North Korean threats of nuclear and missile strikes on Washington and Seoul, outside analysts have said Pyongyang may be using Bae as bait to win diplomatic concessions in the standoff over its nuclear weapons programme. North Korea repeated its denial of such speculation in the new statement. | Since the sentencing came during a period of tentative diplomatic moves following weeks of high tension and North Korean threats of nuclear and missile strikes on Washington and Seoul, outside analysts have said Pyongyang may be using Bae as bait to win diplomatic concessions in the standoff over its nuclear weapons programme. North Korea repeated its denial of such speculation in the new statement. |
| North Korea's state media has described the statement from an unidentified supreme court spokesman as a response to US government and media assertions that the legal case against Bae was unreasonable. The spokesman said Bae, 44, could have faced death but the court reduced the penalty because he confessed. He was arrested in North Korea in November. | North Korea's state media has described the statement from an unidentified supreme court spokesman as a response to US government and media assertions that the legal case against Bae was unreasonable. The spokesman said Bae, 44, could have faced death but the court reduced the penalty because he confessed. He was arrested in North Korea in November. |
| Bae, a Washington state resident described by friends as a devout Christian and a tour operator, is at least the sixth American detained in North Korea since 2009. The others eventually were deported or released without serving out their terms, some after trips to Pyongyang by prominent Americans, including former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. There has been no sign yet of a high-profile American envoy set to make a clemency mission to North Korea, which has only recently eased a near-daily, weeks-long torrent of threats that followed greater UN sanctions over Pyongyang's February nuclear test. | Bae, a Washington state resident described by friends as a devout Christian and a tour operator, is at least the sixth American detained in North Korea since 2009. The others eventually were deported or released without serving out their terms, some after trips to Pyongyang by prominent Americans, including former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. There has been no sign yet of a high-profile American envoy set to make a clemency mission to North Korea, which has only recently eased a near-daily, weeks-long torrent of threats that followed greater UN sanctions over Pyongyang's February nuclear test. |
| North Korea's statement said Bae gave anti-Pyongyang lectures in China and "infiltrated" about 250 students into the city of Rason, a special economic zone in its far north-eastern region bordering China and Russia. It didn't elaborate on the students' activities, however. | North Korea's statement said Bae gave anti-Pyongyang lectures in China and "infiltrated" about 250 students into the city of Rason, a special economic zone in its far north-eastern region bordering China and Russia. It didn't elaborate on the students' activities, however. |
| North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has the power to grant special pardons under the country's constitution. Earlier this week, former NBA star Dennis Rodman attempted to use his friendship with Kim on Bae's behalf, asking the leader to "do me a solid" and release the American. Rodman visited North Korea in February and apparently hit it off with Kim, a die-hard basketball fan. Pyongyang hasn't responded to Rodman's appeal on Twitter. The US has also called for the North to immediately release Bae. | North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has the power to grant special pardons under the country's constitution. Earlier this week, former NBA star Dennis Rodman attempted to use his friendship with Kim on Bae's behalf, asking the leader to "do me a solid" and release the American. Rodman visited North Korea in February and apparently hit it off with Kim, a die-hard basketball fan. Pyongyang hasn't responded to Rodman's appeal on Twitter. The US has also called for the North to immediately release Bae. |
| North Korea said that Bae "set up plot-breeding bases in different places of China for the purpose of toppling (North Korea's) government from 2006 to October 2012 out of distrust and enmity. | North Korea said that Bae "set up plot-breeding bases in different places of China for the purpose of toppling (North Korea's) government from 2006 to October 2012 out of distrust and enmity. |
| "He committed such hostile acts as egging citizens of (North Korea) overseas and foreigners on to perpetrate hostile acts to bring down its government while conducting a malignant smear campaign against it. He was caught red handed," it added. | "He committed such hostile acts as egging citizens of (North Korea) overseas and foreigners on to perpetrate hostile acts to bring down its government while conducting a malignant smear campaign against it. He was caught red handed," it added. |
| The human rights group Amnesty International has criticised Bae's lack of access to a lawyer and called for his release. | The human rights group Amnesty International has criticised Bae's lack of access to a lawyer and called for his release. |
| Friends and colleagues say Bae was based in the Chinese border city of Dalian and travelled frequently to North Korea to feed orphans. | Friends and colleagues say Bae was based in the Chinese border city of Dalian and travelled frequently to North Korea to feed orphans. |
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