North Korea releases American student Otto Warmbier

Описание: An American student who was imprisoned in North Korea after he stole a propaganda banner is back on U.S. soil.
Otto Warmbier,... who is in a coma,... arrived in Cincinnati within the last hour... and has been whisked off for urgent medical care.
Lee Unshin reports.
After being detained in North Korea for almost a year-and-a-half,... an American student has finally been released,... but in a coma.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson revealed on Tuesday that the regime had freed 22-year-old Otto Warmbier, who has now arrievd back in the United States.


"At the President's direction, the Department of State has secured the release of Otto Warmbier from North Korea. "

The U.S. State Department had sent its special envoy to Pyongyang, Joseph Yun to the North to demand his release on humanitarian grounds.
According to the Washington Post, North Korean officials say Warmbier contracted botulism sometime after his trial in March of last year... and lapsed into a coma after taking a sleeping pill.
But the New York Times reported that a senior U.S. official said the U.S. obtained reports in recent weeks, indiciating Warmbier had been beaten while in North Korean custody.
The University of Virginia student was arrested in January 2016 during a trip to the North,... for allegedly stealing a political propaganda sign from a hotel.
He was then sentenced to 15 years' hard labor.
With Warmbier's release, there are now three Americans held in the North - Kim Hak-song, Kim Sang-dok and Kim Dong-chul.


"We continue our discussions with the North Korean regime regarding the release of the other three American citizens that have been detained."

Warmbier's release came on the same day the former NBA star Dennis Rodman arrived in the North.
Rodman is known to have a close friendship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
However it remains to be seen whether his visit is related to the Americans who are still detained.
Lee Unshin, Arirang News.