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The death of an American college student is raising concerns about human rights violations in North Korea.
Twenty-two-year-old Otto Warmbier died on Monday.
Warmbier returned home to the United States last week. U.S. officials say he was unable
to communicate and in a coma after his release from a North Korean prison.
Doctors said Warmbier had suffered severe brain damage while in North Korea.
In January of 2016, the student was arrested on a visit to Pyongyang.
North Korean officials accused him of attempting to steal a propaganda sign at a hotel.
He was sentenced to 15 years hard labor.
North Korean officials said Warmbier became sick from botulism while in detention
and was given medication to help him sleep.
They said he fell into a coma 15 months ago and never awoke.
After his release from North Korea, Warmbier was taken to a hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Doctors there disputed the North Korean explanation of what happened.
But they could not say what caused his brain damage.
His parents said in a statement on Monday their son was “at peace.”
“Unfortunately, the awful, torturous treatment 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 statement said.
Sympathy and anger
U.S. President Donald Trump offered his sympathy to the family.
“There is nothing more tragic for a parent than to lose a child in the prime of life,” he said.
Trump added that Warmbier's death strengthens his desire to prevent future tragedies
“at the hands of regimes that do not respect the rule of law or basic human decency.”
Tensions between the two countries have increased in recent months because of North Korea's missile
and nuclear activities. North Korea has launched more than 20 missiles
and carried out two nuclear bomb tests since the beginning of last year.
U.S. officials have said they are concerned about three Korean-Americans who are being held in North Korea.
At least six South Koreans are also believed to be jailed there. Some were Christian religious workers.
The North Korean government accuses them of spying.
Others were reportedly kidnapped by North Korean agents while helping defectors in China.
The U.S. government says North Korea uses the detainees for political reasons.
North Korea accuses the United States and South Korea of sending spies to overthrow its government.
Abuses in North Korea
“The North Korean regime also wages war on their own citizens,” noted Marion Smith,
the director of The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation.
In 2014, a United Nations Commission of Inquiry (COI) report compared current abuses
in North Korea to those that took place in Nazi Germany during World War II.
The report said the North Korean government is holding between 80,000 and 120,000 political prisoners
in four large camps.
It accused the government of using torture during questioning.
And it said North Koreans suspected of major political crimes often “disappear” without trial or
judicial order into prison camps.
The report also noted that North Korea's policy of carrying out executions
in public causes people to fear the government.
“The ruling Kim dynasty has shown time and time again that they have no regard for human rights,”
said Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch.
“They have no regard for human life, and that whatever is necessary for them to hold onto power,
they will do,” he said.
Robertson added that Warmbier's treatment should cause other countries to restart efforts
to hold North Korea responsible for human rights violations.
After the COI report was released in 2014, the U.N. General Assembly approved a resolution
to send North Korea to the International Criminal Court.
It called for the North Korean government to face charges of crimes against humanity.
But the Security Council has yet to approve the measure.
Experts believe North Korea's allies, China and Russia, are stopping the Council from taking action
on the resolution.
Words in This Story
coma - n. a state in which a sick or injured person is unconcious for a long time
botulism - n. a serious illness caused by eating food filled with bacteria
torturous - adj. causing great pain
prime - n. a period in life when a person is best in health, strength, etc.
regime - n. a form of government
decency - n. behavior and attitude that show respect for other people
defector - n. a person who leave a country, political party, organization, etc.
dynasty - n. a family of rulers
regard - n. care or concern
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첫댓글 Otto Warmbier was a victim of cruelity communism North Korea which not have human right..
Please accept my sincere condolence..
Yes it was a terrible sad...
Without Freedom , our life would be meaningless and no value to live ...
미친개는 몽둥이가 약이다
맞는 말씀이네요
삭제된 댓글 입니다.
우파고
좌파고 ,
거짓말 안하고 ,
누가 삶의 가치을 향하여
활동했는가가 진짜아지요..
거짓 / 위선 / 가짜 민주화 운동권 정치가들은
미국을 비난하면서 ,
자기 자식들은 미국 유학을
다 시키고 잇어요..ㅎㅎ
조사하여 보면 ,
틀림없어요..
자유을 지향하는 미국의 미래을 알지만 ,
자기 정치적인 이익때문에,
미국을 비난하지요..
힌미동맹을 파괴할려고
혈안이 되어있어요..
@운좋은 님,
막연한 개념으로 국민을 위한다는
나쁜 지도자들인 대통령들이 있었어요...
그 지도자들과 졸개들을 보면,
엄청난 도둑질한 돈들이 많어요..
이것이 가짜/ 위선/ 거짓 민주화들의 현주소들예요..
그들의 자녀들은 미국의 학교들에 다니고 있어요..
미국을 비난하면서...웃기는 일들이죠..
공산당하고, 비슷하지요..
중국의 공산당하고/ 러시아의 공산당과 같지요..
부정부패가 심한것이 공산당들입니다..
국민을 위한다고 하면서, 국민을 이름을 항상 팔면서..
자기들의 재산은 불법으로 엄청나게 만들고...
삭제된 댓글 입니다.
President Trump, during his upcoming trip to Asia including the Rep of Korea,
is looking to ramp up pressure against North Korea's nuclear weapons development,
but also promote American economic interests in the region..
all of his concerns would be based on his country's interests
and finally will be done/ conributed to each countries's peace
freedom and their economic welfare at the long term sights...
Therefore, every countries including Korea,
have to try to match USA's policy and direction to keep the freedom and peace..