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North Korea sentences another American to hard labor

Posted at 9:44 AM, Sep 14, 2014
and last updated 2014-09-14 09:44:45-04

North Korea has jailed another American citizen on charges of espionage.

The guilty verdict came as no surprise. In fact, 24-year-old Matthew Miller basically admitted his guilt during a rare, CNN interview earlier this month. 

MILLER VIA CNN: "Prepared to violate the law of DPRK before coming here. And I deliberately committed my crime. I have already admitted my guilt.”

Take that admission with a grain of salt. North Korea’s made a habit of parading its detainees in front of the cameras and forcing them to deliver confessions.

Nevertheless — Matthew Miller has been sentenced to six years hard labor. According to a statement released to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, he committed “hostile” acts when he entered the country under the “guise of a tourist.”

It’s unclear what actually happened. According to North Korean media, Miller ripped up his tourist visa and claimed asylum at the Pyongyang airport back in April. No one can say for sure though since Miller refused to comment on what landed him in detention during that CNN interview.

The details surrounding the cases of the two other Americans held in North Korea are equally vague. 

To find out more about those cases, watch this Newsy video.