An American professor has been slammed for saying Otto Warmbier “got exactly what he deserved” when he was imprisoned by North Korea for allegedly trying to steal a propaganda poster.
Kathy Dettwyler, a professor at the University of Delaware, posted on Facebook that Warmbier was “typical of a mindset of a lot of the young, white, rich, clueless males who come into my classes”.
“These are the same kids who cry about their grades because they didn’t think they’d really have to read and study the material to get a good grade…
“His parents ultimately are to blame for his growing up thinking he could get away with whatever he wanted. Maybe in the US, where young, white, rich, clueless white males routinely get away with raping women. Not so much in North Korea.
“And of course, its Otto’s parents who will pay the price for the rest of their lives,” Dettwyler wrote, according to The News Journal of Wilmington.
Although the University has condemned the adjunct anthology professor’s comments, deeming them “particularly distressing and inconsistent with our values”, they are yet to confirm whether they will take disciplinary action against Dettwyler.
Meanwhile, North Korea has called itself the “biggest victim” in the wake of the 22-year-old’s death days after returning to the US.
A week before his return, relatives discovered the student had been in a coma shortly after his show trial a year earlier which doctors say was caused by a severe neurological injury from an unknown cause.
Many have blamed North Korea for his condition and subsequent death, but the spokesmen for the country said the “groundless” speculation of torture and beatings were untrue.
“Although we had no reason at all to show mercy to such a criminal of the enemy state, we provided him with medical treatments and care with all sincerity on humanitarian basis until his return to the US, considering that his health got worse,” an unidentified Foreign Ministry spokesman was quoted as saying.
“The fact that Warmbier died suddenly in less than a week just after his return to the US in his normal state of health indicators is a mystery to us as well,” the spokesman said.
“To make it clear, we are the biggest victim of this incident and there would be no more foolish judgment than to think we do not know how to calculate gains and losses.
“The smear campaign against [North Korea] staged in the US compels us to make firm determination that humanitarianism and benevolence for the enemy are a taboo and we should further sharpen the blade of law,” the spokesman added.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said North Korea bears a “heavy responsibility” it Warmbier’s death.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in told CBS This Morning that it was clear North Korea “have a heavy responsibility” in Warmbier’s death.
North Korea accused South Korea of tarnishing their image with “slanderous talk about cruel treatment and torture” and demanded they return 12 female restaurant workers who defected to the South last year.
South Korea said the women defected by choice while the North says they were deceived and abducted by the South.
