When America sends its people into North Korea, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.
The unnamed witness, who was part of a tour group at the time, says the man "gave out a loud 'ha ha ha'" before he ran in between some buildings in the direction of the North Korean border.
"I thought it was a bad joke at first, but when he didn't come back, I realised it wasn't a joke, and then everybody reacted and things got crazy."
That part of the article is misleading. He was being sent back to the US for disciplinary issues, but he snuck off and got into the tour group, then bolted for the border. So I don't think it was a prank, he was trying to get out of whatever disciplinary action he was facing.
Of all the places to see, the border between North and South Korea has to be one of the stupidest places for an American to go.
At a certain point, the US government has to make it very clear that they won't be able do anything to help you once you've been stupid and visited there.
Said he was being escorted back to face disciplinary action in the states, so I wonder what kind of fucked up shit that he did that defecting to motherfucking NORTH KOREA was the better option? That's a hell of a bridge to burn man. He went "willingly and without authorization".