South Korean－born Canadian pastor sentenced to lifetime labor in North Korea

북한, 억류 임현수 목사에 '국가전복음모 혐의' 종신노역형
North Korea has sentenced a Canadian pastor to hard labor for life... the latest punishment the isolated state has inflicted on outside missionaries， who have been vilified as spies or agents of subversive ideas.
The South Korean－born religious leader was detained by North Korean authorities back in February while on an aid mission to North Korea′s northeastern city of Rajin.
For the latest， here′s Arirang News′ Lee Soo－eun.
A North Korean court has sentenced Canadian pastor Lim Hyeon－soo， who had emigrated from South Korea， to a lifetime of labor for crimes against the state.
China′s official news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday that North Korea′s Supreme Court held that for the past 18 years， Lim attempted to overthrow the North Korean regime and undermine its social system through religious activities.
The court reportedly accused the pastor of joining a U.S. and South Korean－led human rights ″racket″ against the country by circulating anti－North Korean propaganda.
Last July， Lim had given a press conference in Pyongyang admitting the subversion charges.
But the admittance seems unreliable， as others who have previously been detained in North Korea have said that they were forced to make false confessions.
Also， the pastor′s family in a statement released soon after the confession was aired， said that since 1997 Lim had only made humanitarian aid trips to North Korea.
Canadian authorities have yet to make an official statement regarding the ruling.
Ottawa cut ties with Pyongyang in 2010...and now has limited diplomatic influence in North Korea.
Head of one of Canada′s largest churches， Lim was held by the North in February when undertaking one of his more than one－hundred aid trips to the communist state.
Lee Soo－eun， Arirang News.

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