Robert Park explains himself

Robert Park, the guy with the messianic complex who traipsed into North Korea one day thinking that this brazen act would topple the North Korean regime, is in the news explaining himself. (But first, let me explain his self: Apparently, he figured, the DPRK propaganda ship is designed like the Death Star, such that, despite billions of dollars of munitions and layer after layer of redundant security weaponry, a single hit by some kid from the desert can bring the whole thing down.)

Do I go with a joke about phallic-shaped
mics or do I just call him a drama queen?

Writing at One Free Korea, frequent commenter and Park/Gomes cheerleader KCJ says Robert Park interview "confirms [his] analysis" that Mr Park's confession was dictated to him.

Ah, but to the rest of us, it just confirms our analysis that Robert Park (and Aijalon Mahli Gomes) shouldn't have gone in the first place.

But let's analyze Mr Park's latest brush with the media for what it might tell us:

He added that to prevent him from divulging the details of his detention, the security forces carried out humiliating sexual torture. "As a result of what happened to me in North Korea, I've thrown away any kind of personal desire. I will never, you know, be able to have a marriage or any kind of relationship."

We've already covered the "humiliating sexual torture" bit. I wasn't so certain before, but now I'm becoming more and more convinced that Robert Park is a latent homosexual (the suicidal tendencies which include going to North Korea to "sacrifice" himself in the first place, the narrative about not being ever able to be with a woman, etc.). And he has now engineered a perfect cover to hold off the church ajummas and his own parents who might have pushed him to settle down.

Park insisted that an apology he read on North Korean TV was dictated to him.

Not just his apology, but also his flowery praise of North Korea. Here's a tidbit:

Not only service personnel but all those I met in the DPRK treated me in a kind and gentlemanly manner and protected my rights.

I have never seen such kind and generous people.

People have been incredibly kind and generous here to me, very concerned for my physical health as never before in my life. I mean, my family, of course, is concerned about my physical health but people here have been constantly concerned and I'm very thankful for their love.

Another shocking fact I experienced during my stay in the DPRK is that the religious freedom is fully ensured in the DPRK, a reality different from what is claimed by the West.
Being a devout Christian, I thought such things as praying are unimaginable in the DPRK due to the suppression of religion.

I, however, gradually became aware that I was wrong.

Everybody neither regarded praying as something unusual nor disturbed it. I was provided with conditions for praying everyday as I wished.

Okay, then. How hard was the bayonet pushed into your back for you to say all that?

Back to the Chosun Ilbo piece:

Asked why he decided to enter the North illegally armed with nothing but a Bible, he said, "I hoped through my sacrifice, that people will come together and they will liberate North Korea."

Instead, he strengthened the regime's hand. Please, no more day-trippers to North Korea.