The Glorious Blog of the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea

[Paperback Writer]

Hold on. Believe me, if the USG has any evidence that Americans have been kidnapped any place in the world, it will pursue it. In this case, especially if it involves North Korea.

The evidence is circumstantial but there is enough evidence to have a Utah Senator and a Utah Representative introduce bills in both houses of Congress to petition the US State department to investigate further. One also has to consider the different and sometimes contending interests in play with the USG. Was it in the USG's interest to pursue the kidnapping of Charles Horman in Chile in 1973?

I think it is possible he was kidnapped, but the possibility he was kidnapped seems a lot lower than being dead somewhere, whether by hiking or murdered somewhere or lost somewhere else. seems highly coincidental NK agents would be in that town at that time.

All possible alternatives to explain David Sneddon's disappearance have been evaluated and his being kidnapped by North Korea holds the greatest probability.
1) Did he die in a hiking accident? Deaths have occurred on that trail but the bodies have always been recovered. In my view, the odds of an experienced hiker in his prime (he was a cross country runner in high school) somehow dying are very low and dying without recovery of the body are almost nonexistent - it would be a first. Besides, the Sneddon family have found evidence that David made it though the gorge. Rather than pursue that evidence, China worked to remove it.
2) Did David Sneddon get lost and perish in the wilderness? Doubtful. The trails are well worn and marked. Experienced hikers usually don't go off trail; especially in a foreign land. If David did somehow get lost, he had the skills to survive until he could be rescued. This isn't a 12-year lost boy in the mountains, it's a 23-year old Eagle Scout with backpacking experience and survival skills.
3) Was David Sneddon murdered? Violent crime is very low in that region of China; it is hospitable to tourists, especially Westerners. Also a violent murder tends to leave evidence and possible witnesses. National and local police have investigated a murder scenario as well as members of the Sneddon family who have traveled to the region multiple times and all have dismissed it.
4) Did he meet a local woman, fall in love, and they ran away together? That possibility was floated early. Until it was learned that David Sneddon is active LDS, a RM, and was planning on returning to BYU for his senior year. The Sneddon family, like many Mormon families, is a close one. There is no way he cuts off contact with his parents - he was emailing his mother several times a week during his Summer in China.

In my view, what is more probable is that he was detained by local police and questioned before being turned over to North Korean agents who would have been summoned. NK agents operate in that region of China. There are documented incidences of NK defectors/refuges being caught by NK agents in China with the assistance of local police. However, China officially does not admit its involvement for diplomatic reasons - they can't be seen as allies and collaborators with NK when it comes to human rights issues. It's possible that local police had no involvement with David Sneddon's disappearance and NK agents discovered David with their own network of spies that is in place to catch NK defectors. But if that is the case, why work to remove the evidence that David hiked through the gorge successfully and then trekked on to Shanghai La? The answer: Because Western tourists don't get murdered, elope, or otherwise go missing in that region. And when accidents do occur, bodies are recovered.

[Katy Lied]

I believe that Sneddon was shanghaied to NK. They have a history of kidnapping teachers for their spy foreign languages program. If he had died, they would have found his bones by now.

[Maximus]

David Sneddon didn't die hiking. The Outdoor magazine article that Lebowski linked states that his father and brothers found evidence that he got through the gorge safely. Besides David, along with most of the Sneddon family, are experienced hikers and backpackers. I went on a couple of backpacking trips in Wyoming with the father and older brothers. When I mentioned the possibly of something happening to David while hiking, the father pointed out that there were several trails in the Wind Rivers that are far more treacherous than the hike through Tiger Leaping Gorge.

Part of the kidnapping theory is that the American soldier who defected to North Korea (Charles Jenkins) was released months prior to David Sneddon's disappearance. North Korea had lost the person who was teaching English to North Korean spies and David Sneddon was fluent in Korean and obviously English. Having some ability in Mandarin was a bonus. Part of the diplomatic difficulty in this case is that China allows North Korean agents to search for and apprehend North Korean defectors within China's borders. What's not in these stories is that David's traveling companion was another American student. In addition to studying Mandarin with David, this student also showed an interest in North Korean refugees and began looking into the process to visit North Korea. This was discovered by Chinese officials and this guy's visa was revoked and he was asked to leave China early. That's why David was traveling alone in Western China. I think what happened was that local Chinese police were put on alert and David was apprehended in Shanghai la after his hike through the gorge. The local police detained him but didn't find any link between him and the North Korean refugee underground railroad/network. Instead of releasing him, David was sold to North Korean agents once it was learned he was fluent in Korean and English and alone. There is quite a bit of circumstantial evidence that points to a cover up with David's movements in Western China so that officials can point to him dying while hiking in through the gorge. It's also interesting to point out that people have died from falls on that trail or drowned in the river during the rainy season but the bodies have always been recovered. China does not want to admit the relationship between local police in Western China and North Korean agents. It would be embarrassing for them to admit that an American was kidnapped within their borders by North Korean agents with the complicity of local police.

What upsets me is that the US State department has done so little to assist the Sneddons. They won't release documents they have to the Sneddons citing national security. It's easier for them to act as if David Sneddon died on the trail rather than confront China and the North Koreans. Although it was on a larger scale, Japan was able to negotiate the release of some of it's kidnapped citizens.

I think it is possible he was kidnapped, but the possibility he was kidnapped seems a lot lower than being dead somewhere, whether by hiking or murdered somewhere or lost somewhere else. seems highly coincidental NK agents would be in that town at that time.

[myboynoah]

What upsets me is that the US State department has done so little to assist the Sneddons. They won't release documents they have to the Sneddons citing national security. It's easier for them to act as if David Sneddon died on the trail rather than confront China and the North Koreans. Although it was on a larger scale, Japan was able to negotiate the release of some of it's kidnapped citizens.

Hold on. Believe me, if the USG has any evidence that Americans have been kidnapped any place in the world, it will pursue it. In this case, especially if it involves North Korea.

[Paperback Writer]

Just seems like occams razor points to him dying hiking

Could be, but NK has a long history of kidnapping. If there was ever a case where the circumstantial evidence points to a kidnapping, this would be it.

David Sneddon didn't die hiking. The Outdoor magazine article that Lebowski linked states that his father and brothers found evidence that he got through the gorge safely. Besides David, along with most of the Sneddon family, are experienced hikers and backpackers. I went on a couple of backpacking trips in Wyoming with the father and older brothers. When I mentioned the possibly of something happening to David while hiking, the father pointed out that there were several trails in the Wind Rivers that are far more treacherous than the hike through Tiger Leaping Gorge.

Part of the kidnapping theory is that the American soldier who defected to North Korea (Charles Jenkins) was released months prior to David Sneddon's disappearance. North Korea had lost the person who was teaching English to North Korean spies and David Sneddon was fluent in Korean and obviously English. Having some ability in Mandarin was a bonus. Part of the diplomatic difficulty in this case is that China allows North Korean agents to search for and apprehend North Korean defectors within China's borders. What's not in these stories is that David's traveling companion was another American student. In addition to studying Mandarin with David, this student also showed an interest in North Korean refugees and began looking into the process to visit North Korea. This was discovered by Chinese officials and this guy's visa was revoked and he was asked to leave China early. That's why David was traveling alone in Western China. I think what happened was that local Chinese police were put on alert and David was apprehended in Shanghai la after his hike through the gorge. The local police detained him but didn't find any link between him and the North Korean refugee underground railroad/network. Instead of releasing him, David was sold to North Korean agents once it was learned he was fluent in Korean and English and alone. There is quite a bit of circumstantial evidence that points to a cover up with David's movements in Western China so that officials can point to him dying while hiking in through the gorge. It's also interesting to point out that people have died from falls on that trail or drowned in the river during the rainy season but the bodies have always been recovered. China does not want to admit the relationship between local police in Western China and North Korean agents. It would be embarrassing for them to admit that an American was kidnapped within their borders by North Korean agents with the complicity of local police.

What upsets me is that the US State department has done so little to assist the Sneddons. They won't release documents they have to the Sneddons citing national security. It's easier for them to act as if David Sneddon died on the trail rather than confront China and the North Koreans. Although it was on a larger scale, Japan was able to negotiate the release of some of it's kidnapped citizens.

[Maximus]

What is the motivation of the DPK to kidnap a Korean speaking returned missionary? I remember watching the events from afar, but didn't have inside information.

also spoke Chinese....theory is as a translator

[Topper]

David Sneddon is still missing. Per the linked article, Utah politicians are petitioning the State Department to do its job to investigate. I went to high school with a few of David's older siblings and my parents are good friends of Roy and Kathleen Sneddon. Last I heard from my folks, David's mother continues to believe he is alive while his father is more resigned.

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=38461589&nid...ssing-in-china

What is the motivation of the DPK to kidnap a Korean speaking returned missionary? I remember watching the events from afar, but didn't have inside information.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Just seems like occams razor points to him dying hiking

Could be, but NK has a long history of kidnapping. If there was ever a case where the circumstantial evidence points to a kidnapping, this would be it.

[Maximus]

Just seems like occams razor points to him dying hiking

[Paperback Writer]

Saw this article bumped on FB. Lengthy article in Outdoor Online about the disappearance of David Sneddon in China ten years ago. David was a returned missionary and a BYU student. At first his family and investigators were told that he most likely fell in a river, but now there seems to be strong evidence that he was abducted by North Korean agents and is now held as a captive in NK. Coincidentally, I know his family and witnessed much of this story unfold from this side as it happened.

This is a really well-written article and worth the time to read. Those of you that read The Orphan Master's Son will find this shockingly familiar.

http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor...can-Hiker.html

David Sneddon is still missing. Per the linked article, Utah politicians are petitioning the State Department to do its job to investigate. I went to high school with a few of David's older siblings and my parents are good friends of Roy and Kathleen Sneddon. Last I heard from my folks, David's mother continues to believe he is alive while his father is more resigned.

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=38461589&nid...ssing-in-china

[wuapinmon]

http://imgur.com/gallery/cxwZs

[Color Me Badd Fan]

Jimmy Kimmel had two people volunteer to get the "Un" cut out on the street in front of his theater during the show. One was a woman.

The two barbers, however, didn't seem to have the heart to give them the full Un. Both haircuts didn't capture the full step between the shaved part and the part with volume. I was disappointed.

[hostile]

You have to hand it to Kim Jong Un. I never thought he could out-crazy his old man, but by golly he is making one hell of an effort.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...4ce_story.html

Antiaircraft gun? Wow.

[Jeff Lebowski]

You have to hand it to Kim Jong Un. I never thought he could out-crazy his old man, but by golly he is making one hell of an effort.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...4ce_story.html

North Korea’s equivalent of a defense minister has been executed by antiaircraft gun for insubordination and treason — including for sleeping during a meeting in which Kim Jong Un was speaking, South Korea’s intelligence agency said Wednesday.

[Lost Student]

The Plot to Free North Korea With Reruns of ‘Friends’