North Korea Sentences American Tourist to 15 Years in Prison with Hard Labor

North Korea’s highest court has sentenced an American tourist accused of trying to steal a propaganda banner.

FOX’s Tonya J. Powers has more:

Otto Warmbier, a University of Virginia student, was convicted of subversion, and sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor.

His trial before North Korea’s Supreme Court took all of an hour, and included a tearful confession from him. He said he tried to steal the propaganda banner as a trophy for an acquaintance who wanted to hang it in her church.

He told reporters he was offered a car worth $10,000 if he could get it and he said he accepted the offer because of his family’s financial difficulties. He was arrested as he tried to leave the country following a trip with a tour group.

U.S. tourism to North Korea is legal, but the State Department strongly advises against such travel.

Tonya J. Powers, FOX News.