North Korea releases U.S. Christian activist

[cory777]

Source: Reuters

BEIJING (Reuters) – A U.S. religious activist taken captive by North Korea in December arrived in China on Saturday and will next fly back to the United States, an official with the U.S. embassy in Beijing said.

Robert Park's release clears an obstacle between North Korea and the United States, its main adversary, as pressure mounts on the reclusive communist state to end its year-long boycott of international nuclear disarmament-for-aid talks.

Park arrived in Beijing on a flight from North Korea in the morning and was bundled into a U.S. embassy car. He did not speak to reporters at the airport.

North Korea said on Friday it would release Park, who was arrested on Christmas Day for illegally entering the country in a journey he said was aimed at raising awareness about Pyongyang's human rights abuses.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100206/ts_nm/us_korea_north

[thunder rising]

1. Why couldn't they keep him? For a while?

[salguine]

3. Yeah, like two or seventy years?

[proteus_lives]

6. What a horrible thing to say.

Shame.

[Socal31]

7. Eh...bad taste.

Xtian missionaries, for all of their faults (See: Haiti) probably do more good for the world than you and I.


100% athiest here, btw.

If you could site how this specific missionary is an asshole, then I would be with you.

[fascisthunter]

9. proselytizing poor desperate people

that's an asshole for you right there.

[ColesCountyDem]

11. That harms them how, exactly?

:eyes:

[fascisthunter]

12. How does taking advantage of human suffering harm people...?

You are kidding right? The same tactic is used by neo-nazis, gangs and other fringe groups.

"Awww... come on son, I'll give ya a hand. Remember, god loves you, but not just any god, my god. What's that, you want food? Sure, just promise you will continue to spread the word of our lawd and savior."

Ka-Ching... how is it a good thing?

It's disgusting, and if you can't see that, then there is something wrong with you.

[ColesCountyDem]

15. There's nothing wrong with me.

Trying to compare Christian missionaries to Nazis is pretty messed up, however.

:eyes:

[carla]

14. Ok, how's this...

he violated an international border and put a sensitive set of nuclear disarmament negotiations in jeopardy, raised the tensions between 2 adversaries in a very volatile region of the world. That and bringing his ideology to the people who don't want it...a**hole of a proselytizing character. Who does he think he is, Jesus?

[Posteritatis]

13. Yay! Let's hope for the death of people we find ideologically inconvenient! (nt)

[davidpdx]

2. I'm glad they released him

but he did that on his own accord. I hope the US gave them nothing for his return. People that do this are plain idiots.

[cory777]

4. agreed

[emilyg]

5. Good.

[Turbineguy]

8. Being a nuisance

has its advantages.

[lostinseganet1]

10. I throught this dude was already toast well good for him

[jmowreader]

16. So the all-night thump thump from him beating the Bible was keeping the guards awake at night, eh?

According to Kim Lee Park, North Korea's justice minister, there was no need to retain Robert Park in jail for attempting to raise awareness about Pyongyang's human rights abuses. "We were holding Mr. Park on grounds that he was violating North Korean security laws by illegally informing the world about our security policies. Then we googled "North Korean Human Rights abuses" and got over 12 million hits. Dear Leader decided that since the entire world apparently knows of our strong treatment of North Korean criminals and traitors the bountiful meals of fish heads and rice we've been feeding him ever since he trespassed into our country would be better used to take care of one of our own citizens. Therefore, we have released Mr. Park to the capitalist embassy in Beijing and arrested Mr. Park Kim Lee for the crime of fomenting dissent in our peaceful country." When asked how Park Kim Lee was chosen for prosecution, Minister Kim replied, "We have a document that we use. It is titled "DPRK Criminals Who Have Escaped Detention." It is also known as the Pyongyang phone book."