Page 11 - aruba-today-20170123

A11
WORLD NEWS Monday 23 January 2017

Little is known on status of U.S. student held in North Korea

people in contact with released through the Uni-
them have been cautious versity of Virginia.
about commenting on the Although there has been
sensitive situation. scant news on Warmbier
A spokeswoman for Ohio since his sentencing, his
Republican Gov. John situation could re-emerge
Kasich said he continues as Donald Trump’s adminis-
to be “very concerned” tration begins dealing with
about Warmbier and dis- North Korea. He has said
cussed him during a White he will push China to exert
House visit in late 2016. The its influence on North Ko-
spokeswoman, Emmalee rea to bring it into line, but
Kalmbach, said Kasich has Trump also said during his
encouraged U.S. authori- presidential campaign that
ties to keep the Warmbier he would be willing to meet
family informed. with Kim Jong Un.
Warmbier’s parents said af- There’s little doubt North
ter his public confession last Korea would like to use
February that they hadn’t Warmbier to get a U.S. pres-
been able to communi- ident to travel to “kowtow
cate with him, and his fa- and ask for him back,” said
ther, Fred, expressed hope Boston University Professor
his son’s “sincere apology” Emeritus Walter Clemens,
would persuade North Ko- whose extensive writings
rea to allow him to come on North Korea include two
home. The statement was books. q
In this March 16, 2016, file photo, American student Otto Warmbier, center, is escorted at the Su-
preme Court in Pyongyang, North Korea.
Associated Press

DAN SEWELL minor to outsiders — Warm- Another U.S. tourist from
Associated Press bier said he wanted to take Ohio, Jeffrey Fowle, was
CINCINNATI (AP) — There’s the banner home for a arrested in 2014 for leaving
been little public word woman in Ohio who want- a Bible in a nightclub and
about what has happened ed to hang it in her church was freed after six months.
to an American college — are seen in Washington Already at odds over its
student detained in North as having political motives, nuclear tests and missile
Korea, as a new admin- and Warmbier’s has come launches, North Korea in
istration takes over one during a time of worsening July called new U.S. sanc-
year later amid deep U.S. tensions. tions aimed directly at Kim
concerns about the hostile The State Department Jong Un and other top
country’s nuclear and mis- calls the sentence “unduly leaders for human rights
sile development. harsh,” and spokesman abuses the equivalent of
North Korea announced John Kirby said in a state- declaring war, and dip-
last Jan. 22 it had detained ment last week in response lomats inquiring about
Otto Warmbier, a 21-year- to an Associated Press Warmbier and a Korean-
old University of Virginia stu- query that the depart- American also being held
dent from suburban Cincin- ment continues to work for have been told they were
nati, earlier that month for Warmbier’s “earliest possi- being treated under “war-
alleged anti-state crime. ble release.” Noting that he time law.” It’s not clear
Warmbier, who had visited has gone through North Ko- what that means, although
North Korea with a tour rea’s criminal process and it could imply tougher
group, was sentenced in been detained more than treatment. The United
March to 15 years in prison year, he said: “We contin- States doesn’t have diplo-
at hard labor after a tele- ue to urge the DPRK (Dem- matic relations with North
vised tearful public confes- ocratic People’s Republic Korea.
sion to trying to steal a pro- of North Korea) to pardon North Korea has refused
paganda banner. him and grant him special repeated Associated Press
Such North Korean deten- amnesty and immediate requests in Pyongyang to
tions of U.S. citizens for of- release on humanitarian speak with Warmbier.
fenses that might seem grounds.” The Warmbier family and