Categories: Asia News

Otto Warmbier: American Student Arrested in North Korea Admits to Stealing Propaganda

American student Otto Warmbier, who was arrested in North Korea, has appeared on state media admitting to trying to steal a piece of propaganda from a hotel.

Otto Warmbier, a 21-year-old University of Virginia student, said he was asked by a US church to bring back the “trophy”.

He had been on a tourist trip to North Korea in January.

Otto Warmbier was arrested on 2 January as he was about to leave.

At the time, North Korea said the US government had “tolerated and manipulated” the student.

Otto Warmbier was charged with committing a “hostile act”.

At a news conference in Pyongyang, Otto Warmbier said a member of the Friendship United Methodist Church had promised to give him a used car worth $10,000 if he brought back a propaganda sign from his North Korea trip.

“I committed the crime of taking down a political slogan from the staff holding area of the Yanggakdo International Hotel,” North Korea’s KCNA news agency quoted Otto Warmbier as saying.

“The aim of my task was to harm the motivation and work ethic of the Korean people. This was a very foolish aim,” the student was quoted as saying.

Otto Warmbier said his crime was “very severe and pre-planned” and that he “never should have allowed myself to be lured by the US administration to commit a crime in this country”.

CNN, which received a copy of the video, said Otto Warmbier sobbed as he begged for forgiveness, saying he had made “the worst mistake of my life”.

It was not clear whether Otto Warmbier had made the statement voluntarily, but foreign detainees in North Korea have previously recanted confessions, saying they were made under pressure.

The US state department strongly advises Americans against travelling to North Korea, which sometimes uses the detention of foreigners as a means of exerting pressure on its adversaries.

Diane A. Wade

Diane is a perfectionist. She enjoys searching the internet for the hottest events from around the world and writing an article about it. The details matter to her, so she makes sure the information is easy to read and understand. She likes traveling and history, especially ancient history. Being a very sociable person she has a blast having barbeque with family and friends.

Recent Posts

Donald Trump and Elon Musk Celebrate Election Victory at UFC 309

Image source: Wikimedia Commons President-elect Donald Trump celebrated his election victory at the Ultimate Fighting…

5 days ago

White House 2024: Donald Trump Wins, Kamala Harris Calls Him to Concede Election

Millions of voters across the US chose to return Donald Trump to the White House…

2 weeks ago

Who Won? Donald Trump Declares Victory as He Addresses Jubilant Supporters in Florida

Donald Trump declares victory in the US election as he addresses jubilant supporters in Florida.…

2 weeks ago

Stocks Soaring as Donald Trump Closes in on US Victory

Stocks around the world are rising as Donald Trump appears to be on the cusp…

2 weeks ago

Who Won? Kamala Harris Cancels Election Night Party as Path to Victory Narrows

Donald Trump has won Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia and taken a lead over Kamala…

2 weeks ago

Quincy Jones Dead at 91

Quincy Jones, the celebrated musician and producer who worked with Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Ray…

2 weeks ago