April 24, 2024
Analysis

Kenneth Bae will be released, but not for a while

"We should not be surprised that the North Koreans have made it clear that no quick release should be expected."

SEOUL – Kenneth Bae, the American citizen who was arrested in North Korea late last year, has finally stood trial and, predictably, was convicted.

His sentence was 15 years of hard labor. The North Korean authorities also said that he would not be sent to a regular prison camp, but a "special" penitentiary instead – they did not further elaborate (beyond saying "education centre" in Korean).

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