I don't get why NK would think that story is particularly good.

It just seems odd from every angle, except the Z-society, if we are willing to believe they are grade A assholes who would put up a fake monetary reward to convince someone to get in a lot of trouble.

This has nothing to do with "the crime" of stealing a banner. I suspect the story was made-up not by the student but by some official in government. To them, it sounds more plausible that someone would do this for a 10000 payout than simply for the satisfaction of having kick-ass dorm-room swag from North Korea.

Whatever the story is, it doesn't matter. The NK government is perhaps batshit crazy, but they're not stupid. The detainee is going to be a bargaining chip.

Exactly this. And it helps NK's preferred narrative if he was somehow manipulated by forces larger than himself--both because it makes Americans look desperate for any material advantage they can get, and because it makes the crime more easily forgiven when/if he is ultimately released.

I figure it's basically a coded ransom demand. "There, we've made it clear we don't care about reality, there's no way to lawyer out of this, we've got him and we mean to keep him, unless you can make an offer to change our minds?"

Who does the story have to be good for? Kim doesn't give a shit if anyone believes it or not outside of NK, and will execute anyone who questions it from within.

> I don't get why NK would think that story is particularly good.

From the history of their actions, they don't seem to have very brilliant people in charge ;)

Oh, the monetary award is likely real - the collective worth of their members is in the billions.

Do you maybe have any references about the deaths linked to the Z society? Googling does not yield much.