What happened to Otto Warmbier in North Korea? | DW Documentary
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- Опубліковано 26 лис 2020
- US student Otto Warmbier was sentenced to 15 years in a North Korean labor camp in 2016. Warmbier was released the following year, but he died of brain damage shortly after his return to the United States. Was he really the victim of torture?
Otto Warmbier was sentenced to 15 years hard labor in 2016 after being convicted of attempting to steal a propaganda poster during a trip to Pyongyang. Just over a year on he was dead, having been sent home to the US in a vegetative state. US President Donald Trump tweeted that he had been "tortured beyond belief " in North Korea. The US president blamed both the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and the Obama administration for Warmbier’s death - and Trump appeared before the media with the student’s parents. This was at the peak of the North Korean missile crisis. Later, as relations between Trump and Kim Jong Un became warmer, the US president changed his tune. In 2019 Trump said that he believed that Kim did not know what happened to the US student much to the consternation of Warmbier’s parents.
What really happened to Otto Warmbier in North Korea? Veteran foreign correspondent Klaus Scherer sets out to try to find out. In the documentary, Scherer interviews a number of people with knowledge of the case who have been largely unheard up to now. He shows that a US court investigating a liability case against North Korea brought by Warmbier’s parents also ignored important witnesses, who continue to cast doubt on the torture allegations. These include the coroner in Cincinnati who examined Warmbier’s body. She believes that the account given by North Korean doctors is credible. They claim that Warmbier had inadvertently been given too high a dose of sedatives by prison staff. This, the medics say was the cause of his state of unresponsive wakefulness. Could Trump’s initial torture charges simply have been motivated by political opportunism?
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Lesson learnt :Never visit a country where you government doesnt have an embassy.
Lesson 2: Respect the rules of the country you visit!
Agreed
I will
Well, and if you do go, follow the rules. It is typical for Americans and other Western foreigners to not be able to comprehend such tightly state controlled citizenship, and so these frat-boy kids go for a thrill, don't get enough being shuffled around to what the country wants you to see and be able to do, and pushes the boundary. This can be the dire result. Terribly tragic ending, but a Westerner provoking this foreign entity who suffers with such vanity and the innate need to show control and force as Kim Jong Un does, of course they will be made example of. I don't know if he was fully tortured, but he was obviously neglected in some way, and it is terrible no matter what happened. That poor family suffers endlessly forever now, knowing their child made one stupid mistake that almost anywhere else in the world would have not even been punishable. But NK is not a free country.
Or don’t steal shit from that country
I went to high school with Otto and this incident will haunt me forever. I didn't know him well at all, I only had one class with him and a few with his brother but I did know some of his close friends from various extracurriculars. I still remember vividly the entire day when we learned he was "coming home". I was at lifeguarding at the community pool and we got the news that he was coming home and he was in a coma. At first we all were kind of talking about how famous he's going to be and how he'll probably write a book and go on speaking tours, but then some lady (who wasn't a community member she just worked at the pool) said "You guys realize he's coming back to die" Ouch. That hit hard. Frankly I don't think she should've said this to a group of his friends, classmates, and acquaintances, like, read the room lady, but we all knew she was right. It just wouldn't sink in for us, his peers, that something so horrible could happen to someone our age from our school in our tiny community. His funeral was the only one I've ever attended for someone under like 60. I know I am incredibly blessed for that. It was and still is surreal.
This all being said, for the sake of his friends and family who come and watch these videos and deal with his death every day, please keep nasty comments about him "deserving it" to yourself. No one knows what happened, no one knows if he in fact did anything at all or if he was just very unlucky to have been set up and used as a political pawn. The claims of a country that works tirelessly to brainwash its own citizens believe outlandish lies should at least come under some level of suspicion or scrutiny when claiming anything.
I am so sorry for everything all his friends and family have gone through. I cried when I found out he died.
I am sickened by anyone that says " well don't steal " or " don't go to NK" he doesn't deserve victim blaming.
I would never say that he deserved it. No one deserves to die. I'm sorry for your loss.
I think that people are just confused about why someone would choose to go to North Korea.
@@AllisonMarie9351 No no of course, it’s the WAY people comment. I just think it’s no ones place to make judgements and it helps absolutely no one. Hindsight is 20/20. People say things like that to make themselves feel superior, nothing more. Thousands of tourists go to NK every year for a thrill trip and illegally videotape things and do all sorts of risky things and don’t get caught, and you know what? The comments are overwhelmingly composed of how “brave” they are. Lexie Alford is the youngest girl to travel to every country in the world. She’s gone to Yemen, Syria, North Korea, DRC, overwhelmingly independently and all as a young girl! The amount of worst case scenarios there infinite. Yet she is celebrated and praised for her bravery and adventurous spirit. Is it only stupid if something bad happens? Hell, anyone who has ever checked their phone while driving has in that moment put their faith in the worst case scenario not happening. That’s the thing, people pick and choose what they want to criticize and don’t check themselves first before spouting their holier than thou criticism. And unfortunately here, the people affected by this criticism most are his surviving family and friends, he’s not here to respond to criticisms. This goes for any news story, people need to check themselves and possible hypocrisy before they judge.
@@AllisonMarie9351 did not mean that to be an essay so sorry, and i am NOT directing this at you. I just am passionate about this having been on through this whole drama and seeing all the hate and misinformation.
@@PandaGraciosa With all due respect, hindsight is NOT 20/20 here. There have been many cases where Western tourists have been abducted by the NK Government for political purposes. NK engages in hostage diplomacy so any visit, especially for a US citizen, is effectively playing Russian Roulette. Sometimes you wind up fine like Alford. Other times you don't. It doesn't really matter if he - or his parents - are here to respond to criticism. The simple fact is that as a responsible parent I do everything I could to prevent my child from going to NK. They decided otherwise - a decision that I believe was (and still is) unwise regardless of the outcome.
Trying to act like this was some unknown or remote outcome is disingenuous. Blaming the State Department for not resolving it and willingly being used as a political pawn? That's truly the hypocrisy here.
Do not go to a dictatorship & expect to be treated like you are in a democracy.
Including a trump regime
@@pauliedi6573 Take your TDS pills before turning on the computer next time.
Absolutely!!
@@pauliedi6573Or an Obama/Biden regime.
when I see these youtube videos of people on guided tours in NK laughing around (you can look them up), I get really concerned. they think the worst that can happen to you is get scolded.
His walk as they are holding him up to go to "court" says it all..
Imagine being tortured for years until you're brain dead just because you took down a poster. What a warped sense of morality North Korea has.
Imagine following the words of Marx down to the loss of your freedom, your freedom of speech, religion, all rights to humane treatment. Then the neighbors that fought against your family, friends and government on your communist ideology is living free, healthy, happy… Venezuela, Cuba, China, Russia, North Korea.. man I’m sure if we keep trying communism will work!! It can’t fail again! 🤦♂️
Imagine believing the official news narrative given to you by the CIA.
North Korea does not have any morality. You need to see the interview with the North Korean Defectors.
@@redwater4778 imagine being so dumb that you don't believe anything you read.
@@destructorzz7197 Trump got those three Korean American spies released . There was no interviews with any of them . They got off the plane and quickly disappeared??
Lesson learned: Never visit a country which your government is virtually at war with
Understandable that some people go for the sense of adventure. Though I'd take caution in the worst case scenario that if a war breaks out while your there on vacation, you will be a tourist turned prisoner overnight.
We're still at war with them. There's technically only a cease fire in effect.
I live in a country that is technically still at war with them (South Korea).
@Brian Crawford we have heard the Warmbier’s plight again and again. Never once have they provided a “reason” as to why they financially supported his “NK PARTY TOUR”. OW had recently “visited” communist Cuba.
OW and his parents were not ignorant or impaired yet they supported his “trip”.
They have been evasive at best when asked questions that don’t fit their narrative.
And if you do go and visit, DO NOT STEAL a totalitarian government's poster.
I can never imagine the pain him or his family had to go through, i pray he's in a better place and that his family finds peace
His family didn’t care enough it seems.
Foreigners don't know what really happen to him. Only speculation to put more hate on north Korea leader.
He was a juuish spyyy😂😂😂
How is he in a better place? He's dead. Stupid comment.
Warm beer got his cap peeled off
He was killed because they couldn't afford him coming home and telling everything he witnessed. North Korea is too secretive to allow that. This will always haunt me as a human being.
Finally a smart comment!
He didn’t see anything . They killed him cuz they can and they wanted to show that they will get away with that and also Kim is a narcissist and he wanted to revenge and killed American citizen. That’s the whole truth
Yes, that’s what a North Korean defector actually said.
😂😂😂 bro no he went with a whole group.. theres worse prison camps out there like Russia has a prison camp in Siberia that's horrible. He literally went on the 5th floor making fun of north Korea leader it wasnt about the poster and he was drunk being stupid I'm sure they found the poster at the airport they would not have done this for nothing trust me
No not true. Lots of Americans have done the same thing and gone on that floor.
They couldn't let him live to tell about what he saw.
Yup.
Absolutely!!!
Yep. Sole reason he came back like a vegetable. I'm betting 2 days or so before he was due to leave, they drugged the fuck out of him and smothered him thus explaining his condition and lack of bed sores. Did they ever do a toxicology upon arrival?
Agree
There's plenty of ways to cause brain damage without physical indications of torture or abuse having spent time in such an institution im sure that they didn't want him to be able to tell
North Korea exists in a different dimension. I wouldn't go there if I was paid.
I don’t understand going to NK
And steal
Definitely didn’t think
Amen!
i heard you can get arrested if you leave your tour guide group and the tour guide gets arrested too since they allowed you to wander off O-O
@@Natalee956 i mean i read an article and they said he was drunk.
@@yagikidd2300 yes I read that to
That British guy had no idea how right he was when he said “Well that’s the last we’ll see of you” when the guards took him away
My heart breaks for the young man's torment he went through and for his parents. What an awful horrendous loss. Tears flow for thee.
I'm really confused about people being like "Oh I saw no signs of torture".
There's tons of types of torture that wouldn't leave marks. Including giving him rotten food, choking him, chemical stuff that would be gone from the system by the time he got back home, psychological. Why does it seem like a debate?
@Kris Kripotos I dunno wtf you're talking about considering this is made by a German equivalent of PBS, and the fact they never blamed Trump in the documentary for Otto's condition, only pointing out that he failed to deliver any justice other than using the Warmbiers as a political pawn for a hot minute of fame.
Otto's condition is due to what happened to him in NK obviously, but what happened to him was a direct result of his actions. Trump simply used the Warmbiers for his gain, but he was not blamed in the documentary for causing the situation.
Probably NK propaganda, just like the chinese propaganda, the internet is filled with it
Where did Obama fail?3 guesses.
Choking would definitely leave marks. rotten food shouldn’t affect the brain like that.
You answered your own question. If the torture doesn't leave any marks, then obviously there are no signs of torture. You can't charge someone for a crime based on what they could have possibly done, you need proof.
They made sure that when they handed him over he wouldn't be able to tell what he went threw and seen.
u r right !!
I agree
Exactly
I think they were genius to do evil in their heart.
There was nothing that kid could have told us that US Intelligence didn't already know.
The case is rather more horrific. Otto looked even more terrified when he attended the press conference. Nobody can really imagine the amount of torture this young man had been through before he reached US. RIP OTTO
Poor kid, how was he to know that just by taking a poster off a wall would determine his demise. God Bless his soul, and his family.
Otto did not take anything...he was framed in order to take him prisoner....but for what exchange?
Did Kim get what he wanted from rump????
@@gloriarangott8803 there's video of him doing it so no, he wasn't framed just a moron
Because it’s North Korea you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to
Its........North Korea....?
MEMORANDUM: Trespassing and then stealing in a country that your own and most of the world’s governments have a deeply contentious relationship with may have serious consequences.
"These North Korean prisons are not ideal"
Can tell this guy is a politician
Hm, Objective is now Political? Learning new things every day.
Or diplomat. Basically on higher levels words mean more than they sound. "We are in great concern" can mean a war-like ultimatum
He knows he's walking on eggshells that might start WWIII if they crack.
OMG right I'm over here watching him go thru mental gymnastics to say those things...
It's Vice, it's how they always act
My stomach dropped when the doctor confirmed he couldn’t communicate. My first thought was it makes sense to torture someone with the end result being them literally unable to tell anyone.
There are ways to torture someone and leave no evidence.
@@jmj7196 are you sure it was him? Because in the video you can’t see it clearly. And should someone be so tortured and then die just because of a poster?
@@Arte.mi. His parents were sure it was him so what are you trying to say?
Sounds like they lobotomized him.
@Pol Pot Who's wrong? I was questioning the notion that the man they returned wasn't even Otto. I didn't say anything about him being tortured. Don't include me in your bullshit.
You’re forgiven Otto. You didn’t deserve death for a mistake. May you rest in peace & May your family find peace
If he even did it. The evidence is very questionable.
The video is SO grainy, I’m not sure he was even there and he shouldn’t need to be FORGIVEN. THAT COUNTRY needs to be forgiven
he steal and didnt follow the rules
@@zjz8796 Regardless, there’s no excuse to kill some one over theft. That’s unjust and cruel for the crime committed. That’s the same as saying if you ever stole a candy bar from walmart or any store that you deserve death. It’s just isn’t right. Inhumane to say the least
@@BriskyJam Its a dictator's country. If u cant follow the rules, its better to not visit the country.
This documentary delves into a deeply troubling and complex story, leaving us with lingering questions about Otto Warmbier's tragic fate. It's a reminder of the importance of seeking the truth, even in the face of political shifts. Thanks for shedding light on this heart-wrenching case.
They had no reason to arrest him and whatever happened after is linked to what they did while he was in custody
@@michaelfisher5276may e no reason in your country. That's what happens with dictatorship run states.
Did you really use ChatGPT to make a comment?
A NK spy that escaped NK said he was given a biological poison so he couldn't tell what NK did to him while he was a prisoner. Kim has used this to kill his own military members that try to gain too much financially. Even his own family members.
lol ChatGPT bot commenting the same script on every doc on here😂
The lesson is: Always listen to your mother. When she tells you not to go to a certain country, listen to her.
It is very safe, i visited last year. Moral is don't steal.
@@jwcw29 it's not safe at all
@@renatageisa5442 Have you visited?
@Leonardo DaVinci Maybe it's the indignant behavior they believe & have seen some Americans display. They give harsh sentences to their citizens & even harsher sentences to foreigners because they feel their entire country has been disrespected. In their eyes, he probably was no different than a terrorist.
Mamma always right!!👍🏻 Even if ya don't realize till later😊 @nassmatic
this shit is one of the scariest things i’ve ever heard.
there’s not enough money in the world to make me go to nk
Actually a great place to visit if you simply respect the people unlike Otto
I mean... don’t steal. Doesn’t matter if it’s in NK or not, just don’t steal. Especially in a country like that
Or if you do, be respectful.
@Jessey H stfu already, he has stolen something like eat concequences of your actions. If you are dumb enough to do something like that in North Korea you il pay for that.
@@amosesh5898 Really? It is actually one of the world's most repressive regimes. If you don't allow your own citizens to leave your boarders, you are not a "great place to visit." If you get your kicks from indulging in lavish excess while people around you are starving, perhaps it is "great" for you. Otto was a drunken kid who pulled a stupid stunt for a one-of-a-kind souvenir. He never dreamed there'd be such dire consequences to a childish, drunken impulse. And if Kim had not decided it was again time to extort money from the U.S., there wouldn't have been.
If otto had been well cared for, he would be alive and well now.
Or if he just hadn’t gone to North Korea
@@elephantdanceparty7917Or if he just hadn't taken the poster off the wall
From where you work, to your friends, to where you live, to whom you love, take responsibility for where you place yourself. Nobody can protect you like you! RIP Otto❤
42 minutes into this and still have this feeling that we only know 10% of what really happened. This documentary didn't help answer my questions either.. rip otto
Tyler Stender
I couldn't agree with you more, alot of unanswered questions just like many other foreign political issues😵😲😒
it's probably better to not know everything...
No this is propaganda against president trump
thank you for your review so i didnt have to watch the whole thing!
@@otrrs your welcome
I don't see why people want to go to NK I mean their own citizen want to ESCAPE from there 😒
I honestly think some people go just to feel like they're "special" because they have more freedom than the countries own people.
@@olliojenarter Dumbass
@@olliojenarter aaaaàadfdàaassaassaßssassaaaaaaaassaaaaaaàaaaàaaàaaaàa as aaaaaaaaaasaaaasaaàaaaaaaaàA
Morbid curiosity?
@@anotherarmchairhistorian2831 Yea I think about 90% are curious, and the other 10% want to brag to their friends. Either way, you couldn't pay me enough to see some watered-down, artificial tour of N. Korea while guards literally watch you 24/7 waiting for you to make a mistake.
My future Mother-in-law was born and raised in North Korea. She and 2 of her relatives successfully escaped with the remaining relatives supporting and even aiding their escape, KNOWING they'd be severely punished. Shortly after they made it out, she met and swiftly married my boyfriend's father, who was in the Army and stationed in South Korea. She never heard from the relatives they left behind and she STILL acts and lives as if she's in North Korea to this day, even though she's been out of there for longer than she ever lived there! 😬😬😮💨
What do you mean she acts like she lives in NK ?
@@litmore7590 Maybe they're trying to say that she still isn't adjusted to South Korea and still feels as though she's trapped in NK? That's what I get anyway
@@octangula1212Excellent point my friend
Who cares?
Her heart may remain captive with those loved ones that she left behind. 😔
Negotiations failed. Hope Otto Warmbier is resting in peace. Sincere condolences to all his loved ones.
How they get him home.
I feel so bad for his parents, no parents should have to go through this
Yes but they let their beloved son go over there in the first place. How stupid can parents be???
They should have taught him to respect
@@susannorman4476 , how could they stop him from going there, if he was over 18?
@Sandra Turajlich OK trumpanzee.
American: I got so bored that I really want to visit NK and stole the photo of Kim..
His friends: That's seems like fun
Kim: Alright, inject him with unkwnown chemical substances, make him suffer, and make sure he die in the next few years
His parents: Kim's regime is so cruel (without mentioning the stupidity of his son's action and the current situation of NK's regime)
To think there are people willing to go to N.Korea, when in reality even its citizens are silently fighting for their lives just to get out of there..very ironic
Agreed
I agree also. You have to assume a certain risk to your life when you visit countries in extreme conflict. Still so very sad for the family. RIP Otto.
@@MissMoneyJane yes,ur right. if it's for fun,there are other safer and less complicated countries/places to visit. Tho, I'm still hoping North Koreans would get a chance to genuinely experience the world with freedom.
@@Bibby31 for that one day to happen the whole dynasty family of kim yung.. has to be put down... We don't know what cousin of them is desiring the same power and with what malicious ideas he would rule that county...... Is like cuba the castro brother are sames as twin evil soul.
Not to say the same but really close to that happens in Cuba. The only difference is that the Cuban government likes to paint Cuba as the best for the world to believe it, but is really far from the true.
My sympathy to the family. I don't think they will ever get answers, especially from the North Koreans. Its such a lethal and dangerous country. As much as Otto made the wrong decision, the consequences were grave especially when North Korea is known for human rights abuses. But he never ever deserved losing his life and should be alive. I can't imagine the torture he went through. Because if I did. It would he incredibly hard to stomach.
Thing is he might not have even stolen it. I wouldn't be surprised if the CCTV footage of him taking the sign was fake.
I believe not one second, that Kim Jong Un didn't know nothing about this young man.
I can’t believe the Obama administration didn’t do sqwat to get him released. Actually...yes, I can. Maybe if Obama had a spine, Otto could of been released before they comatose him.
Nobody cared until pdjt did
Yo yo Kim dun lie
@@ellemontgomery1037 uhm what about trump... both him and obama are in the wrong
@@ellemontgomery1037 when did this happen? i thought this happened when trump was president, so what would obama have to do with this?
The slogan of the tour company, "We take you to destinations your mother would rather you stay away from ", would be the first indication or common sense thought to not book with them or follow others.
Yep! Always listen to your mother
REVISED TITLE: “We take you to destinations any logical person with common sense would rather you stay away from”
I hear you, but when you don’t think you could die from it, that slogan sounds quite exciting to young people, now we know what can happen it seems silly to want to do it after reading that
@Otto Rocket bro it’s embarrassing, not even funny.
Then by that advice I’d never go anywhere else, not even the United States o’Merica .. because my mamma thinks the USA is the most dangerous country of all (statistically she’s correct).
Thank you for shedding the light on this story and there're hundreds more
I think he was treated well in the hospital the few months he was there but before the hospital in the NK jail he was treated horribly. They let him recover for a few month in the hospital then called the USA to come get him
You can't cover torture sign on your body regardless of your colour.
Imagine his desperation, a young guy alone in an isolated country with no news about the world or his parents, being held in captivity with crazy soldiers who want to torture him. Don’t go to North Korea, it’s not safe..
Why, when the state dept warned not to go there did his family think he was special? Why did they get off at the fifth floor. He was too young. Do what my parent's did, after graduation, sent me with a tour of Europe. I will never forget the awesome beauty and architecture l, paintings!!
@@dresdners54 I wonder the same, US gov advice it’s citizens to not go to some places in the Middle East, Africa and DPRK, still people go there for “curiosity”, sometimes it ends in a tragedy....
@DraupnirEcogang And after you've killed millions of innocent koreans, where should we nuke next Adolf?
@Wartime_Sartorialist Dont talk shit dude, innocent people live there and they have been brainwashed for decades, don’t incite violence and a genocide against genuine and innocent people.
@@blipblop3229 No he's totally right, we should just send a nuke towards NK, because you know I'm sure nothing bad could come from that. Like yeah obviously South Korea and China would immediately suffer from the fallout and China would respond the minute the ICBM is detected with a retaliation.
Don't worry though that doesn't matter, this guy clearly knows better than us so let's just start WW3 for the luls.
Killing a human being for a petty crime is absolutely outrageous. People make mistakes, especially young folks. I feel very sorry for the guy and his parents. What a tragic story.
People make mistakes, granted. But making them in North Korea can lead to tragic and catastrophic situations. They demand the tourists to be stiff, don't touch anything unless you bought it, and be noncommittal.
People should learn to behave , i totally respect kim for that
The mistake was going to NK. I highly doubt the video was made before his arrest. In NK reality depends upon what they want it to be.
@@fatmaezzahraabderrazak1452killing someone for a poster ? sure buddy
@@Reinhardt7853 if it's a law not to touch it , why would u do it? Outsmarting?
I wonder same why his life wasn't that important to him to risk it for a poster?
What Otto Warmbier did in North Korea was childish, reckless, and dangerous, but what was done to him for taking that poster was PURE EVIL. RIP Otto. 🕊
He didn't DO anything! It was all a set-up! Lesson: DON'T GO TO N.Korea!
You mean what he didn't do. The evidence is very questionable. Even a law student could argue reasonable doubt. and I have reasonable doubt he did it in the firs tplace.
watching this made me go through waves of very different, but equally depressing feelings. i felt horrified and sorry. then i was angry at stupidity and lack of foresight, then heartbroken. that story is incredible(
For me the most haunting, disturbing, and heartbreaking part of this tragedy is that Otto started screaming as his family boarded the plane despite having just been sedated. As horribly damaged as his brain was he apparently was still in there somewhere in some horribly trapped form.
We do not know why he was screaming. Maybe that was the only sound he could produce as he was almost unconsious.
They probably gave him some heavy medics
He was blind and deaf when he returned, and his bottom teeth were rearranged. They tortured him, and the fact this wasn't pushed more on the media speaks volumes.
@@eresh4084 this documentary states there is no physical proof his teeth were rearranged tho and they did tests
@@AmberCraigPodcast he didn’t sedate him heavily, he explained that. It’s the right thing to do when a patient is agitated during a flight. Besides if he had of been sedated that heavily he would have died during the flight and not 6 days later. No sedation drugs are going to take 6 days to kill you. Ottos presentation seems to be consistent with the findings that he had suffered brain damage in NK.
There are many ways to torture people. This young man was obviously emotionally disturbed at the press conference already.
He didn't speak using one contraction (wouldn't, couldn't) could easily tell it was written for him
TRUMP : You are Fake News
the prison camps could very well illicit that response from a guy who never though he'd be in that situation but it was very scripted overall
I think most likely it was a suicide attempt. He thought he was going to be in a labor camp for 15 years and In sure he read and watched many things about the labor camps by those who escaped NK.
@@BrokeNerfing But how could you brain damage yourself? I mean I wouldn't blame him, I sure as hell wouldn't want to be there
1. The foolishness to visiting NK.
2. The foolishness of taking off a propaganda poster in NK.
You can even see himself being fed up with his own actions.
Horrible/worst country combined with horrible decisions.
Even after all these years, I'm still sad about this，
Rest in peace Otto, I hope you can be happy in another world😢
i pray for you
The psychological anguish this man went through before his ultimate death is horrific to think about. I pray he rests in peace.
The mentally ill man that walked into a lion's den at a zoo and got eaten by lions... the anguish the man may or may not have experienced before ultimately being eaten alive is horrific to think about. I hope the half eaten man rests in peace.
@Lee Roland Well, some people turn a blind eye to evil, and satisfying their curiosity is reason enough to support evil. I feel no sympathy for anyone who goes there. Zero.
@Lee Roland Problem is not about going there. It's not steal. How come so many people are so dumb, didn't realize and even didn't mention about " Steal" .
@@NoToBigBro there are lots of people go there, and return home safely. If you steal, doesn't which country you go. you will get trouble.
@@lilyanmarcec or dead.
“We take you to destinations your mother would rather you stay away from”- That should’ve been the first clue.
Always listen to parents because they have seen more generations than youngest..... parents will never guide you false ....it will always be best decision for kids...
Next is Yemen for a peaceful cultural enlightment!
Young people who grow up in the US often lead lives that only superficially acknowledge that other countries exist and are oblivious to dangers. He was stealing a poster to hang in his room. A childish act. And paid for it with his life. The world is not a playground.
@@katerineella274 That's quite a huge generalization. You don't see American's visiting the middle east like you do Europeans... Far more likely to die there than North Korea.
@@katerineella274 .. indeed... this young american man went to north korea, and broke their laws..
not very bright in my opinion.
They torture their own people. Some of the people that have escaped have horrific stories
You were right, but still, people want to visit there.
The worst thing is how in terms of north korea's prison system, he suffered awful things and was still treated a million times better than the most inmates in this gruesome country
this comment really reflects on your ignorance.
This documentary conveniently fails to mention that Warmbier's parents absolutely refused to permit an autopsy, which might have answered many questions.
exactly. Your son committed suicide, but you would rather say that he was tortured to death because it sounds more heroic.
Really, on what grounds are you saying this?
They were mourning. They felt their son suffered so much they just wanted to let him rest
@@Lyn4817 I'd suggest you read up on the subject, really!
@@argoneonoble They can't keep on complaining then, since they are the principal reason for the truth never being discovered.
Yes he made the worst mistake of his life by even traveling there, but dang he didn't deserve this.
@Sergio Horacio Bustillo Mancilla because it's so shitty and unreal it is actually surreal, something out of other planet or dimension
don't eat pork
@@FearOfTheTrooper - But tourists never see the REAL N.K.
@@nadogrl exactly so why even go?
@Nex Wex 3 Ikr. They give you brief explanations in china before going there what to do n not. i don't blame north korea.
MEMORANDUM: Trespassing and then stealing in a country that your own and most of the world’s governments have a deeply contentious relationship with may have serious consequences
Not only should you not risk your life by visiting North Korea, if you chose to, you probably shouldn't disrespect their laws. There has been far too much that has happened to "tourists", including South Koreans, to think it would be okay to make the two fateful decisions that young man made.
Too young, too reckless, too immature. His parents should have warn him to stay away from NK
How is this parent's fault? The writing is on the wall
I feel for them, but I bet they were like "oh he's 21 now, he's an adult. He knows what he's doing" and let him go on his merry way.
@@smilingbuddha because it is their son. Parents need to take responsibility for the outcome of their kids.
He shouldn’t take that poster, he shouldn’t go to North Korea at the first time.
@@StoicSurvivor99 he was a grown man. You can only say or do so much
I couldn’t imagine his fear, it’s so horrific. And his poor family, it’s just the worst thing you could see happen to your child.
I agree. It is the worst thing I think a parent could see happen to their child.
@@lianecornils6603 and then to be caught up in the lunacy of Trump. Everything was against ever finding the truth.
Raise a child with some brains who respects the laws of other countries. Otto wasn't a child.
@@lianecornils6603 awwwww maybe there child shouldnt of went into a restricted area
@@dereksmall4311 He didn’t go into a restricted area. He ripped a propaganda poster off a wall in his hotel. He was accused of vandalism. North Korea considers even small crimes like that to be serious offences. I’ve been there, believe it or not. The country itself is gorgeous. The scenery is amazing. But you have to remember, it’s a foreign country with very strict laws. I’m assuming you follow the laws if you go to a foreign country on holiday. Same applies here - their laws are just much more harsh.
No one was held responsible for these horrible actions
And no one ever will be. It's incredibly sad.
Pls, let this be a Netflix documentary
Moral of the story: Stay away from countries that hate your own.
Moral of the story : don't travel to another country and behave like an idiot . I guess the NK didn't appreciate the " it was just a prank bro" stuff .
How about don't steal posters lol. He would be safe in the U.S. if he wasn't a thief. It's shitty but cmon. It's one thing to travel there, it's another to know their laws and still break them. Ignorance is no excuse. I say the same thing to every tourist traveling outside their country. Know the laws and you will be fine. Unless you're going to a no go zone or a terrorist hot spot. Honduras and shit are way more dangerous as far as the population goes. North Korea you just have to worry about the government watching you. Better believe you are watched every waking second you are there.
Now did he deserve this kind of sentence? I don't believe so of course.
@@mayn90s19 why would you even go to a place where making a petty mistake could cost you everything?
@@Tommy88- Dude I don't agree with a 15 year sentence, but Thievery isn't a mistake. It is very much a conscious decision.
I don't believe he was sent to a concentration camp. He looked almost the same as when he was sentenced. Of course other than his demeanor.
Like if United states was better 😂😂😂 I’m dead xD
Did you know that you allow company such as coca cola to redirect rivers in other country such as Mexico in order to bring more water and faster to coca cola factories ? Those villages lose access to water and when they go to the store the coke is cheaper than the water …. You end up with the biggest mortality rate of childrens and obesity in the world because some people want to drink rhum and cokes …
I’m wondering which country r
Truly has more negative impact on the world 😂😂😂🦾
Never visit a country who looks at you as their number 1 enemy.
@Sneaker64BIT I’m in the west. Nobody claims NK is trying to push their regime onto other states. Where did you get that from?
@Sneaker64BIT Dude the west is not brainwashed the North Korea is brainwashed here!
In this case you shouldn't go any country
@@user-ff9rx Canada does not consider the USA as its #1 enemy.
Lol my friend went their as a tourist and came back safe. Instead of that, you should say "Follow the rules of the country you visit and don't try to be oversmart"
Why did he go plain and simple !
Curiosity and Curiosity killed the cat.
I love your documentaries....authentic!
Heartfelt condolences to Otto s family
It felt like every person in this documentary knew more than what they were saying. As I seen another comment say, this raised more questions than answers.
frrrrr
Elaborate?
@@imakelovetoyourmommy5203 they know something and they aren’t saying it
Yep, thanks for seeing beyond your nose. Be aware that N Korea is one of only three countries in the entire world that aren’t yet on the parasitic, massively powerful, murderous banking system. The other two are Iran & Cuba. And the US military is at odds with all three. Go figure. The worth of the USD is about to drop out of the basement
Yes
He should never have gone to North Korea, PERIOD. Such a tragic ending, but unnecessary loss of a life.
"Destinations your mother would rather you stay away from". EVEN THEY WARN YOU!
Going to North Korea is safe. Stealing in North Korea is not. He should have bought the posters in the souvenir shops on the ground floor just like anyone else. And yes, I have been to the same hotel and I have received the same instructions not to go to the closed 5th floor.
Just dumb
@@cocik Amen
@@cocik "Going to North Korea is safe". Now THAT is funny. You have a strange perception of safety if you feel safe in a place that could take away your freedom and get away with killing you, whether you actually do commit a crime or if it served their "government's" purposes somehow.
My heart aches for his family. How horrible!
“Was it torture” absolutely
I know there's no hard evidence but if you think about it, if they had taken him prisoner, it means he had seen actual North Korea in many ways hidden from foreigners and if tortured and beaten up then he has even more devastating and truthful stories to tell back in the US. There's no way they would let a someone go back sane and healthy after that sort of exposure.
I think Otto may have tried to escape or may have stop listening to NK officials commands and he may have been beaten to a vegative state
I think they did some type of torture to him like waterboarding where it gave him brain damage and left no marks or bruises they said there was no evidence of assault so that or they gave him some type of drug that made him brain dead but there was no trace of it so something like waterboarding where it deprived him of oxygen to the brain causing him to be a vegetable
They fried his brain with their microwave weapon used against our embassy in Cuba.
See no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil.
We have Satellites 🛰 that can see what they have going on right ?
He was working for Mossad, it had nothing to do
You couldn’t pay me to go to North Korea
AS AN AMERICAN. Not any westerner
@Angel Love right?!? Lol I get the thrill aspect, but when you're in another country, you are under their laws etc ..
On the one hand it must be quite interesting, unspoiled by western influence. Unlike what happens in France where theater patrons get together on stage, put down newspaper, watch as females urinate and call that art.
Nope you can send me anywhere else but I will not go to a country so secluded. If they take my passport, phone I’m not going.
Hell no. Everything you see if FAKE anyway.
I can't believe we let them get away with this. It is outrageous. And then we allowed them to give us back Travis King.
IDK. For feet to have atrophy that badly and have no sign whatsoever of ANY muscle tone? I think the torture was more psychological, then when he went insane they drugged him or did SOMETHING that caused him to lose consciousness and once they realized he hadn't just gone to slee & that he wasn't breathing, they revived him and kept him on life support long enough to be use as a high profile bargaining chip knowing fully what they had done. I don't believe the doctor or the coroner either. Not one word that came out of their mouth seemed truthful once again because in that last clip, the level of atrophy in his feet alone tells me he had been in the same condition since he was sentenced.
I honestly think they did what they did to him so he wouldn't be able to tell about what he saw while in prison in North Korea. There was never a way they were letting him leave and be able to tell his story
And at the same time they can pretend they aren’t responsible for his death because he didn’t die on NK soil
Why did he steal the poster??
@@mobutter2879 that video evidence is terrible
@@mobutter2879 you really think that was actually him lmao
@@jelly6023 I'm sure you didn't think the moon landing happened either
The slogan of the travel agency "We take you to destinations your mother would rather you stayed away from." said it all. Adolescence is not a time to go to a hostile nation. RIP Otto Warmbier.
Yeah, North Korea is not the place you want to go do stupid things, unfortunately 20 somethings are known for being stupid.
There is no time in your lifetime to go to North Korea...
@fvrrrfdv I agree that in the Donald Trump era, things were GREATLY mishandled with North Korea, first by using insane speech like "fire and fury" and then with Trump kissing Kim Jong-un's ass, but I remain optimistic things will revert to normal under Joe Biden.
@fvrrrfdv Then leave if that's how you feel. NK would be a nice place for you to go.
@@PKMNFan4664 Its only going to get worse. Very bad.
The lesson is do not enter North Korea .
That right why would anyone want to go there
Otto Warmbier has learned that you absolutely cannot play pranks in North Korea.
Making the choice to travel to North Korea is like walking up to a rabid dog and offering your hand for a bite.
A great analogy!
VERY WELL SAID! SO TRUE!
It’s actually great because this way it’s a trip you doubly enjoy when you get home (yay a trip! And we didn’t die like the odds assumed!!). 😎
@@kg2306 Yo wtf
I feel the same way about visiting Portland and Seattle.
After watching personal interviews of NK's own citizens that survived brutality at the hands of NK, I don't know how anyone can say this guy didn't suffer any abuse. They pretty much let him go when they knew he couldn't recover and tell of his abuse.
Seriously like there’s no human right organizations allowed there which makes sense since it’s like the 2nd holocaust happening at those camps. A former guard testified how guards are TRAINED to treat the prisoners as “subhumans”. They deal with being worked to the bone (many too weak and dying doing it), starved where they’ll catch rats, beaten, abused (in all ways like sexually) and of course sadistic methods of torture. A lot going on behind closed doors I mean they were kidnappers with demands holding a kid hostage
Like ok say the cause of death wasn’t from abuse or torture and that he did die because they did give him a sedative and that cause the brain damage, he still went through hell there with how prisoners are treated there, they have no rights and at the mercy of the brainwashed guards. I don’t believe for a second they never laid one finger on him, and being a American in freaking North Korea! Where it’s drilled into the citizens since birth how Americans are the enemy, evil demons, animals who they need to beat and kill off or die trying to. Yeah the guards are trained not to have humanity even on their own people not even kids or babies yet they’re saying they treated him good? I can’t help but look sideways at them for saying they gave him a sedative to help him because he was really agitated and troubled like naw they wouldn’t have cared. With such a important political prisoner I doubt the leader “didn’t know”.
And I say this with hate against the North Korean government not the people who are victims of their own country, basically brainwashed cult hostages just trying to survive.
Exactly.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They don't want to say he was abused because that's going to start another problem. Based on all the testimonials of citizens of NK I'm almost possible something was done to him.
Why would anyone in their right mind GO to North Korea voluntarily? That was a stupid decision. Otto didn’t deserve what happened to him and we will never know what really happened to him. 😢
What's even more stupid is that his father funded the trip! How stupid to pay to send your son to North Korea.
@@Peekaboo-Kittyreminds me of a video I watched where a rich kids dad bought him a plane after he got kicked out of flight school for being drunk. The kid of course ended up crashing the plane.
Sometimes rich parents fail their kids by failing to teach them limitations or boundaries, because these parents have no such concepts
@@Onoesmahpie
Tragic. Thanks for sharing.
“They acted like we were ignorant for letting him go.”
Well yeah you were.
N.Korea made sure he would never talk again & tell the world how he was tortured, they knew exactly what they were doing when they did this.
I don’t get why he went to an unauthorized floor of the hotel and touched anything. In a communist country. Especially fucking North Korea. How stupid do you have to be.
@Simran Talreja I've always had the feeling that perhaps he tried to hang himself and didn't recover. I'm sure he was seriously depressed and perhaps had no hope.
Did you not watch this video? They said they didn't find any evidence of torture. This is the kind of thought pattern that starts wars. Like, weapons of mass destruction... never found any.
@Simran Talreja what is your definition of torture?
Did you watch the whole video stupid there was no evidence or
OF torture. Your so stupid
The young man should've known better. Literally everyone knows the status of North Korea. Does his action justify his 15 prison sentence and death? Absolutely not. They cruelly and unfairly punished that man.
Stupidity has no end.......!
You believe the story about him taking down the poster? Oh yeah, the government of North Korea would never lie, cross my heart hope to die. LOL. Sorry, you are incredibly naïve if you believe anything the "Peoples Democratic Republic" of Korea says. Even the name of their country is a lie, for crying out loud.
He should have known better but trump and our government also didn't do shit to help him. Especially how much trump paraded them around like ya we will get him back but they never even tried
@I win You lose I was a cop that stopped his breathing not drugs🙂🙂
It*
The last place you want to act out in. As a teenager, I still would have known better than this.
Yes to go there and cause trouble is stupid
It's tragic for parents to lose their child because it goes against the course of nature. But to lose a child the way they did, is beyond tragic.
They made him a vegetable for taking a poster. If they had kept him a little longer he could have died there. The parents would have only known that he had died. instead he came home with hope he would live, and recover. That probably gave his parents twice the heart ache.
"They made him a vegetable for taking a poster".
There are no way they did that on purpose.
When you use lies to discredit North Korea you are actually helping them.
We lie when there are no facts. So by using illogical attacks or conspiracy theories against them you are actually helping the regime propaganda machine.
Good
@@Kiev-en-3-joursIt was obviously intentional, they needed him a vegetable so he can’t speak up. If you don’t believe that I’m genuinely very saddened for your education or mental state.
@@Kiev-en-3-jours What is wrong with you? genuinely concerned.
@@gay.mer9328 No it was not "obviously intentional". A vegetable is the last thing they wanted him to be (after dead). It was very detrimental for them. But fortunately for them Trump did the wrong thing as always.
"Destinations your mother would rather you stay away from". *EVEN THEY WARN YOU!*
Yeah
Stupid choice he made but still RIP
Yep
New Data leak reveals how China 'brainwashes' Uighurs in prison camps Xinjiang
So it was his fault! GTFOH!
12:30 what is that quote??
"It takes a thousand hacks to bring down a tree"
This documentary takes us on a journey to uncover the truth behind Otto Warmbier's tragic story. It's a gripping exploration of a complex and controversial case, shedding light on the multiple perspectives and questions surrounding his death. Thanks for delving into this deeply unsettling but important issue.
Complex? he clearly violated a law in a foreign country to which is considered a very bad crime, he knows he was committing a crime.
The truth is Otto had NO business in N Korea at ALL. That nation has clearly told the USA that they hate us. Then here comes a so called privileged American stealing from the devil. The devil struck back. Period.
Pretty sure this was written by an AI.
@@mannyechaluce3814imagine falling for the propaganda and believing the staged confession. it’s almost like you don’t know anything about north korea at all 💀💀💀 did you even make it 8 minutes into the video
@@mannyechaluce3814too complex for your tiny narrow mind!
My mother suffered brain damage when she got out of prison in China. But she came out of prison looking like a normal, healthy person, and it was only after living with her for a long time that you realized she may have been forced to take drugs that caused mental confusion
Wow! I am so sorry your mom had to go through that
That's kinda scary
I am so sorry your mother and family had to go through that
:/.. Im sorry for you.. I hope your mother is ok!
That’s terrible. I’m so sorry that happened to her.
"Kim Jong-un knew nothing about Warmbier" I call BS
But Orange Jesus said he is innocent......after saying he was guilty 🤔
The thing is that he doesnt need to know anything for people to get this kind of treatment and that is why this is an issue. People are trained and pressured into behaving like this (he worshipping, rule following and harsh punishments brough upon people) that this can happen while he is unaware of whos being punished or the context as to why they are being punished.
he might not of. He is focused on food and refreshing trumps twitter 😂
he said warm beer
Yea I would think he would know he controls north Korea and I'm sure he was responsible for telling them to torture .
This is truly heartbreaking 😢 Gone too soon😢😢😢
Why anyone would willingly travel to North Korea is beyond me. I obviously don't know if that was him in the video or not, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was. He definitely fit the profile of the type of person who would. Young guy, many would say was good looking, and affluent. Probably never in his life suffered a real consequence for his actions. His parents were ignorant for letting him go despite claiming that they weren't. I lost my 24 year old daughter a year ago and it's a pain that I wouldn't wish on another. I am very sorry about what happened to him. I wish it was nothing more than a crazy story that he could tell to his friends when he was a boring middle aged guy in the midwestern suburbs and lived a predictable life with a wife who wore too much makeup and the requisite 2.5 kids and a dog. The kind of guy who was dissatisfied with his life cause there was no excitement. But it wasn’t meant to be. I wasn't valedictorian of my class but even I know that North Korea is a place of suffering. A place where people risk their and their family's lives trying to escape. It's nor necessary to check the state department's website for a travel advisory before choosing to go. Not a damn thing has changed. His parents are mad at the wrong people.
His father funded the trip!
People are young and stupid ...it goes together. They same people that are traveling to Chernobyl and getting a radiation tour...dumb if you ask me but people do it.
As someone who is pretty well traveled (45 countries), and now in his late 40s, I can say that I, once, thought about travelling to NK and didn't really think about how much risk I was really opening myself up to. I think as a traveller you get blinded to the potential risks of the decisions you make, all in the pursuit of new or seemingly forbidden experiences. I wouldn't blame my parents for poor parenting if I had chosen to go to NK, as it would have been purely my decision...
It wasn't just that he went to North Korea. He took it upon himself to wander off to a private floor. He should've stayed with his traveling group.
There are hundreds of ways to torture someone without leaving obvious signs.
No doubt. Especially with potentially months to heal
It's obvious that they strangulated him so that he could die before coming over to the US and not tell the world about what he saw over there. There is a reason NK does not want their citizens leavin
g the country.
exactly, these documentaries cant b trusted anyway
@@filipebeat yes, that’s what I say. There’s no way I can believe the American diplomats and doctors in this video, because they obviously made politics with his case.
@@IceBlueThug but that leaves behind ligature marks , internal contusion etc
I always thought he was brutally beaten into a coma and never woke up or responded. Their prison camps are terrifying. This challenged a lot. Still would never set foot in that place.
Dont think so. would gave shown up on a medical exam, even after time...
@@1karenparrish yeah it never showed up later according to this doc
Keep your ass in western so called democracy....
@@CleoPhoenixRT they were no skin marks or anything broken, it is just weird
@@beluwuga2229 Right? A head scratcher for sure.
Horrible to even think of his situation💔💔💔
Absolutely devastating and unequivocally unnecessary demise of Otto. He was just thinking of taking a souvenir and it ended his life as he knew it. 😢 Deepest condolences and sympathy to the Warmbiers and those that knew and loved him. Rest in peace Otto.
The press clips scared the shit out of me for some reason, probably because the confessions seemed so contrived and coerced. Haunting shit.
Honestly, that should be proof enough of torture.
Where are people who say they learned their lesson from the nazis. When someone does a documentary on the camps 30+ years from now, they are going to say the same emotional bullshit about being humane. Remember when Oprah went to visit the nazi camps with a survivor, why hasn't her rich ass tried to do something about north korean camps, instead she is just a phony.
@@EffortlessEthan I can't imagine seeing my child this distressed. I feel so bad for his parents. I was an absolute idiot when I was his age. 21 year old make stupid decisions all the time. Poor man.
Weird ass people
I don't understand the parents...the state department literally warned everyone about travel to N. Korea and now they're upset that their son did not listen....it's terrible what happened to Otto but you also need to realize dangerous situations and take responsibility for your decisions
Amen!
There is always someone who try’s to ice skate uphill
The parents refused to let anybody perform an autopsy. Why? Because then they probably could not go to the media and say how bad North Korea are. If it was my son I would definately have an autopsy. Show the world what caused his death.
@@torbjrnmelbye6823 I know certain religions prevent autopsies from being performed
@@CAMarg-zs1xq ok that might be an explanation
My heart goes all the way literally all the way out for Otto. Know that there’s so many people who went to NK and got back safely, yet this isn’t the case for Otto. I just feel so angst yet helpless. I cannot imagine the horror, the fear and agony as well as torture that he went through while in NK. For that, I will never forgive NK and what it has done to many of its civilians and beloved, Otto. May you rest in peace. Love, jaccine. ❤
I agree. Fifteen years of hard labor is basically a death sentence and he probably knew this.
I had a drink in public in Dubai in the middle of Ramadan and old guy ran up to me and said it was ok, in that it wasnt ok sort of way. Nothing incidents in foreign cultures can have huge repurcussions.
They’re leaving out that no one can prove it was even Otto taking down the poster
You’d have a better chance of survival on the top of Everest.
True!
No nope man everest more dangerous i once in pyongyang yeah thats place a bit depressed and all but if you not do a significant thing you pratically alive
@@kyouhiki272really, what about Otto then,this young healthy man has been tortured till death in NK and sent back in vegetable state!!!May those who did that to him burn in hell forever!!!!!
RIP Otto you are loved and remembered! 💔
Isn't that the truth.
@@kyouhiki272 Are you an American? Visiting North Korea is much more dangerous for Americans than it is for citizens of other countries.
this poor family, no one should ever have to experience this type of trauma and pain. My heart goes out to them. Rip Otto
His fault for going there and stealing from their government
He was stupid. I don't feel sorry for him.
@Sex Pun in a normal country, stealing something small doesn’t lead to torture and years of imprisonment. He did not deserve that punishment
@@lilyastor5980 but north korea aint a normal country ,,,but ya poor lad
@@lilyastor5980 why is he in a country that is not normal in the first place? Lol didn't he know NK wasn't normal? Or is it that nobody told him?
What a chilling nightmare. The most tragic part is that it was completely avoidable. Reminds me a bit if Natalie Holloway in that they were accomplished and headed for their mapped out futures. I think this makes a young person want to do something daring and off-plan. They don't consider how one impulsive act can ruin everything.
You have to play the odds in life. Some gambles are not worth it.
lesson learned....when when you go to a foreign country do NOT do ANYTHING to get yourself into ANY kind of trouble....plain and simple. RIP Otto and may his family find peace. and Fu++ North Korea...i would NOT visit that place for a penny ticket!