DPRK sentences U.S. citizen to eight years of hard labor for illegal entry

PYONGYANG, April 7 (Xinhua) -- A court of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Tuesday sentenced an American who illegally entered the country to eight years of hard labor, and fined him 70 million won (700,000 U.S. dollars), the official KCNA news agency reported on Wednesday.

"The guilt of the male American named Aijalon Mahli Gomes was confirmed, and he admitted all the facts which had been put under accusation," according to the KCNA.

As an exception at the request of the Swedish embassy protecting the U.S. interests, the DPRK allowed the Swedish embassy representatives to be present to witness the trial, the KCNA said.