How Many Americans Are Imprisoned in North Korea?
Otto Warmbier, a University of Virginia student who was arrested in North Korea over a year ago, recently returned to Cincinnati, Ohio. With Warmbier home, only three known Americans remain detained in the Asian country.
In December 2015, Warmbier traveled to Pyongyang, North Korea, on a five-day stopover before going to Hong Kong. He took part in a tour but was arrested and charged with "hostile acts against the state" after reportedly attempting to steal a propaganda sign at his hotel. He was tried in March 2016 and sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor.
However, Warmbier fell into a coma and has remained that way for most of his 17 months in North Korea. According to The Washington Post, the North Korean government apparently told Warmbier's parents that their son suffered from botulism after his show trial and was given a sleeping pill. After that, the 22-year-old student went into a coma.
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Warmbier's family and friends, along with medical personnel, greeted him at Cincinnati's Lunken Airport on Tuesday night. He was then carried off the plane and placed on a stretcher. Warmbier was immediately driven to University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
Three American citizens remain prisoners in North Korea. According to The New York Times, Kim Dong-chul was detained in 2015 and charged with espionage and other offenses. He was sentenced to 10 years with hard labor.
The other two Americans were only recently detained. Kim Sang-duk, also known as Tony Kim, was arrested in April. On the other hand, Kim Hak-song, also known as Jin Xue Song, was detained in May. Both men worked at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology and were accused of "hostile acts." However, further details regarding their arrest are unknown.
With the tense relationship between the United States and North Korea, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert strongly advises against traveling to the East Asian country.
