North Korean detainee Otto Warmbier dies

He made headlines around the world when he was detained in North Korea back in 2016 for taking a political poster to take back to the United States. Since then he was sentenced to 15 years in jail and hard labor. Falling into a vegetative state, Warmbier was returned back home, but on Monday he passed away.

Otto Warmbier has passed away. The American college student who visited in North Korea for what was supposed to be five days, would instead be detained in North Korea. A political poster, costing his life. After a gruesome 17 months in hard labor, Warmbier was returned to the United States, his family strongly believing he was tortured into a coma.

Begging for forgiveness

Warmbier was a student at the University of Virginia. He had signed up with the Chinese travel group, Young Pioneers Travel, to go to North Korea. He went at the end of 2015, and as he stated on January 1st 2016, he stole a political poster from a restricted floor deemed for “Staff Only”, from his hotel. When trying to leave Pyongyang Airport, he was stopped by security and would be detained. In February 2016, the world saw Warmbier again, this time in a suit with two officers next to him, as he gave a press conference to Korean journalists, breaking down and begging for forgiveness countless times. Distraught, admitting to his crimes, and pleading for a release, Warmbier would be sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor.

Death over forgiveness

He was due to spend 15 years in one of the most isolated countries in the world. Instead, he would spend 17 long months. He was returned to the United States last week, but less than a week being home, Otto Warmbier passed away with his family by his side. His family released a statement stating “It is our sad duty to report that our son, Otto Warmbier, has completed his journey home. Surrounded by his loving family, Otto died today at 2:20 P.M..” The North Korean government has stated that Warmbier fell into a coma after contracting botulism, a poison caused by toxins, and taking a sleeping pill in 2016. So far US doctors have found no such evidence.

Canceled tours

The death of Warmbier has now prompted Young Pioneer Tours to no longer offer trips to North Korea to US citizens. The group said in a statement: “The devastating loss of Otto Warmbier’s life has led us to reconsider our position on accepting American tourists. There had not been any previous detainment in North Korea that has ended with such tragic finality and we have been struggling to process the result.” They also went on to state that they were denied requests to meet with Warmbier and were told that he was “fine”.

President Trump speaks

A statement issued by President Trump states “Our thoughts and prayers are with Otto’s family and friends, and all who loved him. Otto’s fate deepens my Administration’s determination to prevent such tragedies from befalling innocent people at the hands of regimes that do not respect the rule of law or basic human decency. The United States once again condemns the brutality of the North Korean regime as we mourn its latest victim.” The Trump administration was praised by Warmbier’s father, for bringing his son home. Upon learning on Warmbier’s deteriorating health, State Department special representative, Joseph Yun, travelled to North Korea with a medical team, and upon seeing his condition he demanded he is released on humanitarian efforts.

At peace

Although upon returning, and unaware to his surroundings, Warmbier looked “anguished” as described by his family. Unable to speak, unable to move, and unable to see, he was described as looking very uncomfortable. But although tragedy came out of this case, Warmbier was able to take his last breath at home in Cincinnati Ohio, as his family stated “Although we would never hear his voice again, within a day the countenance of his face changed, he was at peace. He was home and we believe he could sense that.”

Our condolences to the family and friends of American college student, Otto Warmbier.