Why North Korea Forced An Old Korean War Veteran to Apologize

In November of 2013, an 85-year-old American man was detained in North Korea after finishing a 10-day tour through the country with his friend from a Palo Alto retirement community. During the tour, Korean War veteran Merrill Newman made the mistake – while touring the Mount Kuwol area where he had trained North Korean rebels – whether it was possible to locate and talk to some of the North Korean men he had served with many years ago.

The men Merrill referred to were “partisans” known as the “White Tigers” – anti regime rebels – who had caused significant destruction to the North Korean supplies during the war. Newman had helped to train the guerrillas during the war. Newman, apparently unaware that North Koreans are nowhere near “over” the North Korean war, was told that the the area was inaccessible.

Word of his questions must have made it to “higher authorities” because upon boarding the plane to head back to America, North Korean officials arrested him on the plane and took him into custody. Newman remained in North Korean custody for approximately six Read more…