An American man, who is 85 years of age and detained in the country of North Korea, has issued an apology for his actions, which includes killing civilians and troops in the Korean War, said the state run North Korea news agency on Saturday.
The news agency released what they claimed to be a statement from Merrill Newman a resident of California and a U.S. citizen. He has been held against his will in the secretive country for over 30 days.
The statement said Newman had killed many soldiers and civilians from North Korea and destroyed a number of strategic objects inside the country during the war. He said he committed indelible acts against the government of North Korean and its people.
The story also claimed that Newman had attempted to find terrorists and spies who had conducted subversive activities and espionage against North Korea.
Investigators, said the story, determined due to Newman being a U.S. military member he had masterminded subversive activities and espionage, and was involved in killing innocent civilians and service personnel from the North Korean military.
The story went on to say that the government’s investigation showed the Newman’s acts of hostility against North Korea were supported by evidence. He admitted to his crimes and apologized for all of them, said the report.
Up to this point, Pyongyang did not explain why Newman was being held. The U.S. government did not immediately respond to the report or the apology by Newman.
The U.S. has worked with Sweden in an attempt to find out about Newman, since the U.S. and North Korea do not have diplomatic relations.
It is unknown what will happen at this point. Some believe Newman will be freed, while others believe he may be tried and found guilty and given a harsh sentence for all he is alleged to have done over sixty years ago.
