North Korean authorities arrested U.S. tourist Jeffrey Fowle three months ago, accusing him of Christian proselytizing, which is considered a crime in North Korea. The arrest was made with the charge that he left a copy of the Bible with his contact information and pictures under a bin in the bathroom at a restaurant during his 10-day visit to that country, a source has said. Another source, Japan’s Kyodo News, reported that Fowle left his Bible in his hotel room. Either of which is said to be considered a “hostile act” by the totalitarian regime of North Korea.
Fowle, a 56-year-old from Miamisburg, Ohio, who used to attend church back home, left a bilingual English-Korean Bible in a restaurant, Chongjin Seamen’s Club, in the North Korean city of Chongjin just before he and his fellow travelers were about to leave on May 4, an anonymous source, who is aware of the case, told Reuters.
The copy of the Bible that Fowle left behind carried his name and phone number, and photos of himself and his family, the source said.
The Bible was wrapped in a Chinese newspaper and lying under a bin. It was found by a cleaner who reported it to authorities.
Fowle later told his guides that he dropped his Bible while using the restroom, but the Bible was too big for his pocket, the source noted. Fowle was arrested on May 7 at the airport while he was leaving North Korea. He is awaiting trial which is expected to be held within the next two weeks. Those close to the situation say they believe the only solution for Fowle is for a U.S. representative to come to North Korea to make a direct appeal.
In the statement released Monday, Fowle’s family noted that he is the father of three children, aged 9, 10 and 12, and was “travelling to North Korea as a part of a tour.”
“Jeffrey loves to travel and loves the adventure of experiencing different cultures and seeing new places,” the family said.
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