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Bae, a US citizen of Korean descent, was arrested for attempting to overthrow the state. He entered the ¡°special¡± prison on Tuesday. A statement from North Korea accused Bae of giving anti-Pyongyang lectures in China and having infiltrated about 250 students into the city of Rason, in north-eastern North Korea. Pyongyang claims that Bae has confessed, and did not want a lawyer present during sentencing. Bae is reported by friends to have worked as a Christian missionary in Dalian, a Chinese city near North Korean, and to have crossed the border to distribute food to orphans. He is alleged to have distributed inflammatory literature. Christianity is banned by the North Korean state, and the circulation of Bibles is strictly punished.

(American Kenneth Bae starts hard labor in North Korea 'special prison' - Washington Times)

This is all kind of confusing to me.

This guy surely knew the NK government would stick it to him, and believed others would come to his rescue. I admire him in many ways.

In reality, what was he thinking?

It is not clear what his legal status was in NK, and just what his activities were. All in all, doing things we in the western world take for granted.

All things said and done, looks like another outrage by the PRNK.

North Korea explains why it sentenced American Kenneth Bae to hard labor

"In reality, what was he thinking?"

Becoming a martyr?

It takes a brave man to live his beliefs. It takes a braver man to accept the consequences.