An American college student detained in North Korea last month has appeared in public in North Korea. Otto Warmbier appeared at a North Korean press conference and made a public statement apologizing and asking for forgiveness. The 21-year-old University of Virginia student was arrested last month before boarding a plane out of the country. He has been charged with committing a hostile act against the state, with the help of the United States. Warmbier said he removed a sign from a hotel in an area only for workers. He and his tour group stayed at the hotel. He said a member of his church asked him to bring the sign to the United States to show to others. Warmbier was reportedly in North Korea on a discount tour for college students, not a church group. North Korea has not said what punishment Warmbier may face. “I understand the severity of my crime, and I have no idea what sort of penalty I may face, but I am begging to the Korean people and government for my forgiveness,” Warmbier said. “And I am praying to the heavens so that I may be returned home to my family.” North Korea has often detained Americans and other foreign citizens on false charges. The detainees are usually forced to read statements to foreign journalists confessing to crimes against the state. Most experts say the detainees are forced to make the statements. When the detainees are released, they often say they did not make the statements voluntarily and that they do not agree with what they were forced to say. Experts say North Korea often tries to use the detainees in negotiations with the West. Companies that work with travelers bring people to North Korea so they can see how people live in the closed country. But the U.S. and Canadian governments say people should not travel to North Korea. I’m Mary Gotschall. VOANews.com reported this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the story for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page.
from Voice of America http://ift.tt/1QHcS58
via IFTTT
الاشتراك في:
تعليقات الرسالة (Atom)
المشاركات الشائعة
-
As President of the United States, Donald Trump shakes a lot of hands. But look out. If you shake Trump’s hand, you might get pulled off y...
-
Even in the world of medicine, what is old is new again. Thousands of years ago, Egyptians used it to sterilize drinking water. Ancient Roma...
-
00:00:02 OPRAH WINFREY: "Hattie Mae, this child is gifted," and I heard that enough that I started to believe it. 00:00:08 ...
-
Zimbabwe wants small business to be able to get credit to start or grow a business. If the country’s Parliament approves a bill proposed l...
-
Olayemi Samson is a Nigerian entrepreneur. He is turning plastic waste into useful things like clothing, school bags, car covers and shoes...
-
from Voice of America https://ift.tt/2JX5szY via IFTTT
-
Learn from your hosts, Anne and Jonathan the meaning of momentous. from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2a2yXS4 via IFTTT
-
An unpublished United Nations report says that North Korea sent materials that could be used in chemical weapons to Syria and missile techno...
-
South Korea’s government proposed on Monday to hold military talks with North Korea to reduce tensions between the two countries. The South ...
-
Tensions between North and South Korea have increased sharply since the North’s announcement that it tested a nuclear weapon for the fourt...
ليست هناك تعليقات:
إرسال تعليق