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WORLD NEWS Friday 4 May 2018

Otto Warmbier’s mom now speaking out to embarrass N. Korea

By EDITH M. LEDERER D.C., seeks compensa- and we think that’s a bad the world a favor” and re- ally getting any easier.”
Associated Press tion for the death of their idea,” Fred Warmbier said. leased him saying he had At the symposium, relatives
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Her 22-year-old son in June Fred said he and Cindy are botulism — which U.S. doc- of several Japanese men
voice cracking with emo- 2017. now focusing on the events tors never confirmed. and women who were ab-
tion, the mother of college Otto Warmbier, who was that occurred “while they “So we can’t be quiet can ducted by North Korea also
student Otto Warmbier who spoke about their decades-
was sent home from North long efforts to be reunited
Korea in a coma and died with their loved ones.
soon after said Thursday Takuya Yokota, whose sis-
her family will keep speak- ter was abducted in 1977,
ing out about the country’s said he didn’t know “how
human rights violations to to express gratitude” to
“rub their noses” in what Trump for mentioning her in
they did and embarrass his speech to the General
Kim Jong Un’s government. Assembly last September.
Cindy Warmbier told a U.N. The president said North
symposium on the human Korea “kidnapped a sweet
rights situation in North Ko- 13-year-old Japanese girl
rea: “I can’t let Otto die in from a beach in her own
vain. ... We’re not special, country to enslave her as
but we’re Americans and a language tutor for North
we know what freedom’s Korea’s spies.”
like, and we have to stand Yokota said the Japanese
up for this. We have to.” government must not re-
Her comments came at a nounce sanctions or give
sensitive time, as Kim and economic assistance to
President Donald Trump are North Korea until all the
planning a historic meet- abductees are returned
ing, and a day after the home.
U.S. leader hinted at the Katsunobu Kato, Japan’s
imminent release of Ameri- Fred Warmbier, right, listens as his wife Cindy Warmbier, speaks of their son Otto Warmbier, an minister in charge of the
can prisoners being held in American who died last year, days after his release from captivity in North Korea speaks during a abduction issue, told the
North Korea. meeting Thursday, May 3, 2018, at the United Nations headquarters. Associated Press symposium that “maximum
A week ago, Cindy and pressure” must be main-
her husband Fred Warm- a student at University of had Otto hostage and they we?” Cindy said. “People tained against North Korea
bier filed a wrongful death Virginia, was arrested by were using him as a pawn.” say why are you doing this? until it denuclearizes and
lawsuit against North Ko- North Korean authorities in “We are trying to build a How can I not? How can human rights issues are re-
rea, saying its government January 2016 for stealing pathway that leads directly I not? How can anybody solved, including abduc-
tortured and killed their son. a propaganda poster and to Kim and his regime to be quiet when this is going tions.
The lawsuit filed in U.S. Dis- sentenced to 15 years in force them to be answer- on?” And he said it’s important
trict Court in Washington, prison with hard labor. able for their actions,” he “The only thing we can do is that Trump raises the ab-
His plight compounded said. rub their noses in this. It em- duction issue in his upcom-
tense U.S.-North Korean re- Cindy Warmbier said Otto barrasses them. They don’t ing talks with Kim.
lations. His parents made was brain dead at four like the world to think that “We can provide for a rich-
clear Thursday that while months of captivity, and they aren’t trying to be a er life of the North Korean
they were silenced by fear anyone who had a heart member of the world, and people,” Kato said, “but
of what North Korea might would have said, “Well, they like to act like a victim, the major prerequisite is
do to Otto after his arrest, we screwed, let’s get him like they’ve been treated comprehensive solution of
they were not going to be some medical care.” poorly,” she said. pending issues including
quiet any longer. But instead, she said, the Ten months after burying abduction, nuclear and
“We woke up and we re- North Koreans left him in her son, Cindy ended her missile programs. And un-
alized that North Korea a horrible place with no comments to applause less that is achieved the
wants us to lock ourselves care to vegetate, and then saying: “I’m sorry I’m so Japanese citizens will never
in a room and do nothing, acted “like we’re doing emotional ... but it’s not re- show an understanding.”q