How did Americans die when they traveled to North Korea?

The family of Otto Warmbier, an American college student released from North Korea, said on 19 that Warmbier died that afternoon. Warmbier, 22, from Cincinnati, Ohio, is a student at the University of Virginia. 20 15 to 12 to travel with the tour group to the DPRK. Last March 16, North Korea's Supreme Court sentenced Warmbier to reeducation through labor 15 for conspiring to subvert the state.

Dabai News found that since 1996, more than 10 American citizens have been arrested and sentenced by the North Korean government. At present, there are still three Americans detained in North Korea, and US Secretary of State Tilson publicly demanded that North Korea release the other three detained Americans. It is reported that American officials have warned nationals to travel to North Korea, but thousands of people still go there every year.

Trump condemns North Korea's "atrocities"

The US Secretary of State demanded the release of three other detained Americans.

According to American media reports, on the afternoon of 19 local time, the family of Otto Warmbier, an American college student released from North Korea, announced that Warmbier died at 2: 20 p.m. that day. Warmbier was arrested for trying to steal a poster from a hotel during his trip to North Korea in June 20 16, and was sentenced to 15 years of reeducation through labor. After being detained for 17 months, after negotiations between the United States and North Korea, North Korea claimed to release Warmbier for humanitarian reasons.

It is reported that when he was released, Warmbier was in a coma and was sent to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for treatment after returning to the United States. Earlier, the DPRK claimed that Warmbier was unconscious after being infected with Botox and taking sleeping pills, but Warmbier's family did not accept this statement. On June 5438+05, an American doctor said that Warmbier's brain was seriously damaged and he was in a vegetative state.

Warmbier was lifted off the plane (Figure/Reuters)

Warmbier's death has also attracted the attention of the US government.

On the same day, US President Donald Trump responded that "Otto Warmbier stayed in North Korea for a year and a half, during which many bad things happened, but at least we finally brought him home" and severely condemned North Korea as a "brutal military regime".

On the same day, US Secretary of State Tilson issued a statement saying that the United States held North Warmbier responsible for the unjust detention. He also asked North Korea to release three other detained Americans. Tilson promoted the release of Warmbier and personally announced the release of Warmbier on 13.

2065438+In March 2006, Warmbier was in the Supreme Court of Pyongyang (Photo/Associated Press)

Senator John McCain even claimed that Warmbier was "murdered" by North Korea.

Warmbier's father, Fred, and his mother, Cindy, issued a statement on the same day, announcing the death of Warmbier. In their statement, they thanked people from all walks of life for their concern for Warmbier, and condemned the North Korean side for "abusing" their son.

American officials warned nationals to travel to North Korea.

Thousands of people still insist on going every year.

According to American media reports, the State Council has always advised Americans to avoid going to North Korea, but hundreds of people insist on going there every year, but not everyone who goes can leave.

With the escalation of tension on the Korean peninsula, the detention of American citizens has made the problem more complicated.

According to the report, most Americans are attracted by a destination far away from ordinary travel routes, and they usually ignore the increasingly severe warnings. The State Council updated its travel warning, changing the wording from "strongly urged" to "strongly warned", and more forcefully warned American citizens to avoid going to North Korea.

Tourists visit Pyongyang, North Korea (photo /Getty Images)

The State Council has no record of how many Americans went to North Korea. Simon cockerell, general manager of Beijing Koryo Travel Agency, said that four or five thousand western tourists go to North Korea every year, and about 20% of them come from the United States. He said that most people understand the potential risks.

Although there are no exact figures, there are very few Americans doing business in North Korea because they may have violated the sanctions against North Korea. Representatives of non-profit organizations used to account for a large proportion of Americans in North Korea, but as some aid organizations were forced to reduce their business, the number dropped sharply.

Who else are Americans detained by North Korea?

According to the incomplete statistics of Dabai News (WeChat ID: dabaixinwen), since 1996, more than 10 American citizens have been arrested and sentenced by the North Korean government, including not only whites, but also Korean-American Chinese.

Dabai News (WeChat ID: dabaixinwen) inquired about public reports and found that American Evan C. hunziker was the first American civilian detained by North Korea after the Korean War. 1On August 24th, 996, he swam naked from China across the Yalu River and entered North Korea. After being discovered by local farmers, he was arrested by the police. North Korea accused it of spying for South Korea. Huntsk's mother is from South Korea and his father is a veteran of the Korean War. Both the State Council and Huntsk strongly denied the espionage charges.

1996165438+1On October 27th, Ivan (right) was released and arrived at the US Air Force Base in Tokyo with Richardson.

At that time, with the help of New Mexico Rep. Bill Richardson, Ivan was released after being detained for three months, but less than a month after returning home, he committed suicide in a hotel in Washington State.

Li Lina of Korean origin and Ling Zhimei of Chinese origin are both reporters of American Trend TV. On March 7th, 2009, he was arrested for entering the DPRK from China without a visa, and was sentenced to 12 years of reeducation through labor for "illegal entry" and "hostility to the Korean nation".

Li Lina and Ling Zhimei released and arrived in Los Angeles (photo/Xinhua News Agency)

In August 2009, former US President Bill Clinton visited North Korea and met with Kim Jong Il. Clinton conveyed Obama's message and North Korea held a dinner. The two sides had a "serious talk", but did not disclose more details. The day after the meeting, Clinton flew back to the United States with two journalists who had been detained for nearly five months.

Since 2009, other American citizens detained by the DPRK include Park Dong-hoon and Gomez, Korean-American citizens who entered the DPRK illegally; Quan Yong-soo, a Korean-American who is engaged in economic and trade and missionary activities in the DPRK; Pei Junhao, a Korean-American who is engaged in tourism; merrill newman, an American retired businessman and Korean War veteran; and Matthew Miller and Jeffrey Foer, American men. These people have all been released.

Among them, Pei Junhao was the first American to be detained after Kim Jong-un took power. As his sentence increased, the US government felt the pressure. It is reported that the United States has used a lot of mediation, including the Swedish Embassy and Google Chairman Schmidt, but all failed. Pei Junhao, who returned to China after being detained for two years, is the longest American citizen detained by North Korea.

Pei Junhao (data map)

The arrest of Matthew Miller, an American man, was also "dramatic". On April 14, 10, Miller tore up his visa when he entered North Korea, shouting that he was "not a tourist" and "I applied for political asylum", so he was arrested for violating North Korean laws. Matthew's behavior once puzzled the outside world. He admitted that he "knew he would be detained" before entering North Korea, but refused to explain why he tore up his visa and sought asylum. Later, he thought it was "an emergency" and hoped to get help from the US government. In September of that year, the North Korean Supreme Court sentenced him to six years of reeducation through labor on charges of "engaging in hostile activities against the DPRK".

Matthew Miller (photo/Associated Press)

Since then, US National Intelligence Director james clapper, as Obama's personal envoy, brought a letter to Kim Jong-un. On June 8 of that year, 165438+ North Korea released Matthew and Pei Junhao who had been detained before.

It is reported that after Warmbier's release, three Americans are still being held in North Korea. According to reports, these three people include Dongcheol Kim, a Korean-American pastor accused of espionage, Lin Xianzhu, a Korean-Canadian pastor accused of subversion, and Kim Sang-tak, a Korean-American arrested on April 22nd this year. However, the United States did not further explain the current situation of the three. US Secretary of State Tilson asked North Korea to release three other detained Americans.

Korean media: North Korea's capture of Americans is "hostage diplomacy"

Korean media said that North Korea once again launched "hostage diplomacy" with the United States. North Korea arrested Sang-Duk Kim, a Korean-American, on April 22nd this year. Jin is a professor at Yanbian University of Science and Technology in China. He started to work at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology a month ago and has been engaged in assistance to the DPRK. Li Dexing, spokesman of South Korea's Unification Ministry, said at a regular press conference that "Jin Suntech, who had stayed in Pyongyang, was arrested by the North Korean authorities before boarding the plane, and we are learning about it through various channels".

According to the report, the reason why North Korea detained Kim was concerned was because there had been similar precedents before. North Korea tried to detain Americans several times before conducting a nuclear test, and then opened a dialogue window between the DPRK and the United States through release negotiations. In March 2009, before the second nuclear test, North Korea arrested two American journalists in the border area between China and North Korea. After that, the United States began negotiations with North Korea to get the two journalists released. Finally, former US President Bill Clinton visited the DPRK in August of the same year and brought them back to the United States.

20 13 A similar incident occurred before the third round of nuclear tests in February. Pei Junhao used to run a travel agency in China. In 2065 10, he entered North Korea through Luoxian, North Hamgyong Province, and was arrested. After a tug-of-war with the United States, Pei Junhao was finally released in June 20 1 14. 20 15 10 before north Korea suddenly conducted the fourth round of nuclear test (20 16 10), north Korea suddenly arrested pastor Dongcheol Kim, a Korean-American who was visiting north Korea on suspicion of espionage, and north Korea and the United States are still negotiating to release pastor Dongcheol Kim.

Liang, vice president of the North Korean Graduate School, said, "North Korea has demonstrated its will through this series of measures, that is, it will thoroughly monitor and control foreigners and thoroughly punish' anti-peace' behaviors before conducting nuclear tests. This measure of North Korea has a strong intention of' hostage diplomacy' and aims to create an atmosphere of dialogue after the nuclear test. "