U.S. student who was returned from North Korea in coma has died

[webfact]

U.S. student who was returned from North Korea in coma has died

 

FILE PHOTO - Otto Frederick Warmbier, a University of Virginia student who has been detained in North Korea since early January, attends a news conference in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this photo released by Kyodo February 29, 2016. Mandatory credit REUTERS/Kyodo/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. student Otto Warmbier, who was imprisoned in North Korea for 17 months before being returned home in a coma less than a week ago, has died in a Cincinnati hospital, his family said in a statement on Monday.

 

"Unfortunately, the awful torturous mistreatment our son received at the hands of the North Koreans ensured that no other outcome was possible beyond the sad one we experienced today," the family said in a statement following Warmbier's death at 2:20 p.m. EDT (1820 GMT) at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

 

His family has said that Warmbier, 22, had lapsed into a coma in March 2016, shortly after he was sentenced to 15 years of hard labour in North Korea.

 

He was arrested, according to North Korean media, for trying to steal an item bearing a propaganda slogan.

 

North Korea released Warmbier last week, saying he was being freed "on humanitarian grounds."

 

(Reporting by David Alexander; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-06-20

[Jingthing]

Oh, that is very sad.

I had heard he was permanently brain damaged but that doctors didn't really understand what happened to him.

Based on the timing, I reckon the N. Korean doctors knew he was dying and politically better not to die there.  No use as a pawn being dead. 

 

I didn't appreciate how the parents politicized the situation though. The blame was on North Korea and only North Korea. 

Edited June 19, 2017 by Jingthing

[Thechook]

Killed by the evil regime.

[pegman]

51 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Oh, that is very sad.

I had heard he was permanently brain damaged but that doctors didn't really understand what happened to him.

Based on the timing, I reckon the N. Korean doctors knew he was dying and politically better not to die there.  No use as a pawn being dead. 

 

I didn't appreciate how the parents politicized the situation though. The blame was on North Korea and only North Korea. 

 

51 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

 

This is too bad. Likely tortured for information he didn't have. There are some places you should not go and North Korea is one of them, along with East Detroit and Koh Tao. I've been to one of those and never again. 

JT what was the politicalized statement the parents made?

Edited June 19, 2017 by pegman
Duplicate quote

[Ruffian Dick]

I hope N Korea doesn't think that it's a good idea to bait the US into attacking it....

[anon4546543]

I do not know the circumstances of this chaps death, as do all posters and their suppositions.

What I will say is that you have to be off your trolley to ever think about entering this country.

RIP condolences to family and friends.

Except Rodman it seems he is exempt.

 

[pegman]

16 minutes ago, Ruffian Dick said:

I hope N Korea doesn't think that it's a good idea to bait the US into attacking it....

It got nukes so it could act this way knowing that no one would likely invade them. It has acted as a deterrence  for all nuke nations till now.

[Jingthing]

30 minutes ago, pegman said:

 

This is too bad. Likely tortured for information he didn't have. There are some places you should not go and North Korea is one of them, along with East Detroit and Koh Tao. I've been to one of those and never again. 

JT what was the politicalized statement the parents made?

They used the return to praise trump and attack Obama. They went on right wing media with that garbage. There was very little Obama could have done to persuade NK to release him or any of their prisoners. If trump is the magic man for NK releases, why are they still holding other U.S. prisoners? It's obvious now he was released because of his health condition.

I don't think there would have been anything wrong with thanking trump for helping but it was the right wing anti-Obama propaganda show they participated in that grates. 

Yes I realize seeing their son, even as a vegetable for a few days is very meaningful to them, but the damage is on NK, not Obama. 

Edited June 19, 2017 by Jingthing

[tonray]

20 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

They used the return to praise trump and attack Obama. They went on right wing media with that garbage. There was very little Obama could have done to persuade NK to release him or any of their prisoners. If trump is the magic man for NK releases, why are they still holding other U.S. prisoners? It's obvious now he was released because of his health condition.

I don't think there would have been anything wrong with thanking trump for helping but it was the right wing anti-Obama propaganda show they participated in that grates. 

Yes I realize seeing their son, even as a vegetable for a few days is very meaningful to them, but the damage is on NK, not Obama. 

Yes.. Especially when the Obama administration's official position had always been DO NOT TRAVEL TO NORTH KOREA!  

 

it's funny that the right always preaches about lessening government involvement and personal responsibility except when they need a bailout of some kind then it's 'why can't the government do something? '

Peace to his soul and his family but Obama did not send their kid to die. 

[ezzra]

If Trump is any good for anything, he should make N. Korea pays for this

unnecessary cruelty and barbarities act to some kid who his

crime was that he  stole some crappy banner from a hotel wall..... 

 

[simple1]

10 minutes ago, ezzra said:

If Trump is any good for anything, he should make N. Korea pays for this

unnecessary cruelty and barbarities act to some kid who his

crime was that he  stole some crappy banner from a hotel wall..... 

 

I assume you mean the North Korean leadership. However there are still three US nationals held by North Korea, so would limit government response.

Edited June 19, 2017 by simple1

[tonray]

10 minutes ago, ezzra said:

If Trump is any good for anything, he should make N. Korea pays for this

unnecessary cruelty and barbarities act to some kid who his

crime was that he  stole some crappy banner from a hotel wall..... 

 

So to avenge a 22 year old's death which happened because of personal irresponsibility he should start a war whereby thousands will die in South Korea?  Good plan 

[stevenl]

What was he doing in North Korea, why did he go there?

[Prbkk]

25 minutes ago, stevenl said:

What was he doing in North Korea, why did he go there?

Yes but regardless of that, how outrageous it is that this boy was in a coma for almost a year and the nutters didn't inform his parents that he was ill. The idiotic Rodman is part of the problem rather than the solution. 

[Mosha]

If you can't respect/obey the laws of a country, stay home. Failure to comply has serious consequences.

Sent from my iris 505 using Tapatalk

[pegman]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

They used the return to praise trump and attack Obama. They went on right wing media with that garbage. There was very little Obama could have done to persuade NK to release him or any of their prisoners. If trump is the magic man for NK releases, why are they still holding other U.S. prisoners? It's obvious now he was released because of his health condition.

I don't think there would have been anything wrong with thanking trump for helping but it was the right wing anti-Obama propaganda show they participated in that grates. 

Yes I realize seeing their son, even as a vegetable for a few days is very meaningful to them, but the damage is on NK, not Obama. 

Thanks, I missed that. I wouldn't doubt if his condition was brought on by a lack of oxygen. Something like being watér-boarded. Wonder where they got that idea from? Media going to family in situations like that are always a type of exploitation. 

 

[tonray]

3 minutes ago, Mosha said:

If you can't respect/obey the laws of a country, stay home. Failure to comply has serious consequences.

Sent from my iris 505 using Tapatalk
 

Also while people here say "oh just stole some dumb banner', keep in mind that the banner to North Koreans represents something far more than we can imagine. Imagine the outrage from Americans if a foreigner came here and attempted to defile the American flag. That is what North Koreans see, the outcome was horrific but when you go to a repressive, brutal regime you should not even step 1 inch out of line.

[Prbkk]

It's on my "bucket list " of places to visit: #197, between Yemen and DR Congo.

[brewsterbudgen]

What was he doing in North Korea, why did he go there?

He was part of an organised student trip.

[Prbkk]

10 minutes ago, tonray said:

Also while people here say "oh just stole some dumb banner', keep in mind that the banner to North Koreans represents something far more than we can imagine. Imagine the outrage from Americans if a foreigner came here and attempted to defile the American flag. That is what North Koreans see, the outcome was horrific but when you go to a repressive, brutal regime you should not even step 1 inch out of line.

Disrespect an American flag and you don't end up dead, as a rule.

[tonray]

Just now, Prbkk said:

Disrespect an American flag and you don't end up dead, as a rule.

True because we have a set of laws to prevent that....but he was not in the USA he was in North Korea, arguably the most brutal regime in the world. Sorry, I feel sympathy for him but you do not crap in someone's house and expect to walk away.

 

Actually depending on where you are in America, you may very well end up dead...I'll leave it at that.

[Rob13]

28 minutes ago, tonray said:

Also while people here say "oh just stole some dumb banner', keep in mind that the banner to North Koreans represents something far more than we can imagine. I

 

Those were the charges. There's a good chance they were made up by NK. The same way the confession was made up, as was the reason he was in a coma.

Edited June 20, 2017 by Rob13

[tonray]

3 minutes ago, Rob13 said:

 

Those were the charges. There's a good chance they were made up by NK. The same way the confession was made up, as was the reason he was in a coma.

Speculation on your part but we will never know. Why not just arrest all of them...what is your speculation for picking him out of the group ? Since we are speculating, you must have a theory...or is Obama at fault here too ?

[Rob13]

Just now, tonray said:

Speculation on your part but we will never know. Why not just arrest all of them...what is your speculation for picking him out of the group ? Since we are speculating, you must have a theory...or is Obama at fault here too ?

NK hasn't been honest in any regards about the case, why would they be honest About the charges. NK held him hostage as a bargaining tool with the US.  

[tonray]

5 minutes ago, Rob13 said:

NK hasn't been honest in any regards about the case, why would they be honest About the charges. NK held him hostage as a bargaining tool with the US.  

Ok. Perhaps the CIA should hire you as an analyst.

 

This is all one needs to know about the case:

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings/north-korea-travel-warning.html

 

[Rob13]

3 minutes ago, tonray said:

Ok. Perhaps the CIA should hire you as an analyst.

 

 

NK says he stole a poster and you believe them. Fair enough. I wasn't there but based on NK's previous actions, I choose to give the kid the benefit of the doubt and say NK is lying.

[Rimmer]

A troll post has been removed

[hawker9000]

The US waterboards a known terrorist and the America-haters lead a global chorus in screaming bloody murder...

 

Fatboy carries out an actual atrocity on an innocent civilian and the world just yawns...

[baboon]

1 hour ago, Prbkk said:

Yes but regardless of that, how outrageous it is that this boy was in a coma for almost a year and the nutters didn't inform his parents that he was ill. The idiotic Rodman is part of the problem rather than the solution. 

Who would they report it to; The Embassy?

[pegman]

1 hour ago, tonray said:

Also while people here say "oh just stole some dumb banner', keep in mind that the banner to North Koreans represents something far more than we can imagine. Imagine the outrage from Americans if a foreigner came here and attempted to defile the American flag. That is what North Koreans see, the outcome was horrific but when you go to a repressive, brutal regime you should not even step 1 inch out of line.

The video with the banner appearently was inconclusive in identifying him. It could have been produced after they arrested him. If they did torture him it could have been they thought he had been spying. Why him and not others? Who knows but his passport likely had Israel stamps that they concluded meant something other than just visits. The North Koreans are super suspicious/perinoid, that's why it's best to stay away from there.