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North Korea Says Arrested American Acting to Become Another ‘Snowden’

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A 25-year old American citizen, Matthew Todd Miller, recently charged with perpetrating "acts hostile" to North Korea and condemned to 6 years hard labor, faked possession of secret data about the US government and intentionally committed criminal acts in order to be arrested and become famous, North Korean authorities claim in a statement, cited by Reuters.

MOSCOW, September 20 (RIA Novosi) - A 25-year old American citizen, Matthew Todd Miller, recently charged with perpetrating "acts hostile" to North Korea and condemned to 6 years hard labor, faked possession of secret data about the US government and intentionally committed criminal acts in order to be arrested and become famous, North Korean authorities claim in a statement, cited by Reuters.

"He perpetrated the above-said acts in the hope of becoming a 'world famous guy' and the 'second Snowden' through intentional hooliganism," said a North Korean official, referring to the former NSA system administrator Edward Snowden, who leaked secret information from the intelligence agency and made it public.

Miller entered North Korea as a tourist in April, but tore up his visa after arrival and demanded asylum. According to a North Korean official, cited by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Miller’s behavior has been considered an unacceptable offence and sneer of the country, which required proper punishment measures.

US government insistently called for North Korea to release Miller as well as two other American citizens, Kenneth Bae and Jeffrey Fowle, detained by North Korean authorities.

"The charges for which he (Miller) and the other detained US citizens were arrested and imprisoned would not give rise to arrest or imprisonment in the United States or in many other countries around the world," said spokesman Darby Holladay in a statement, published by CNN last week.

According to US authorities, Pyongyang is trying to manipulate US government to receive a visit of top officials from Washington. Currently, the United States and North Korea have no formal diplomatic relations. The interests of American citizens in the country are protected and represented by Sweden.

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