A U.S. soldier facing disciplinary action fled across the inter-Korean border into North Korea on Tuesday and was believed to be in North Korean custody, U.S. officials said, creating a fresh crisis for Washington in its dealings with the nuclear-armed state.
I do remember that instance, do you? After his parents pulled the plug, they declined to have an autopsy conducted, had his body quickly buried, and accused the DPRK of torture on account of his bizarre confession, his having a single scar on his foot that was unknown to them, and crooked teeth (presumably discovered on medical examinations while he was comatose). I read their entire statement to the Supreme Court and they have nothing more about his condition to substantiate their interpretation.
His coma was consistent with botulism, which is more common in poor countries like the DPRK and the official story they gave for his coma. The sleeping pill part was strange, but I need to guess it was do to an initial misdiagnosis of his condition (or perhaps just to help him sleep). The coma was surely from brain damage caused by the botulism, we have no reason to think it was from being beaten into that state or anything of the sort.
He was surely intimidated on the gravest of terms to get that confession out of him, but the parents do not propose evidence of so much as a bone fracture or cauliflower ear or anything else that might still be apparent in a few months (from the coma's onset to his arrival home). I don't think they even substantiated him being denied receiving a proper amount of food.
The last US soldiers to defect to the DPRK, which happened in the '60s, generally lived peacefully there (I am sure there were incidents now and then because this is several people's lives over several decades, but I don't know of any incidents).
The doctor that picked him up said he was impressively taken care of given the lack of healthcare automation at the hospital he was at. Said that he didnt even have bed sores, which were common in overstaffed American hospitals, so the nurses were rotating him every hour.
Remember when 22 year old tourist Otto Warmbier stole a poster and was imprisoned, and then was sent back to the US a few years later in a coma?
Maybe I'm just a pessimist but I don't expect him to have a different experience. Plus, I'd love to see a US soldier imprisoned in a DPRK labour camp
I do remember that instance, do you? After his parents pulled the plug, they declined to have an autopsy conducted, had his body quickly buried, and accused the DPRK of torture on account of his bizarre confession, his having a single scar on his foot that was unknown to them, and crooked teeth (presumably discovered on medical examinations while he was comatose). I read their entire statement to the Supreme Court and they have nothing more about his condition to substantiate their interpretation.
His coma was consistent with botulism, which is more common in poor countries like the DPRK and the official story they gave for his coma. The sleeping pill part was strange, but I need to guess it was do to an initial misdiagnosis of his condition (or perhaps just to help him sleep). The coma was surely from brain damage caused by the botulism, we have no reason to think it was from being beaten into that state or anything of the sort.
He was surely intimidated on the gravest of terms to get that confession out of him, but the parents do not propose evidence of so much as a bone fracture or cauliflower ear or anything else that might still be apparent in a few months (from the coma's onset to his arrival home). I don't think they even substantiated him being denied receiving a proper amount of food.
The last US soldiers to defect to the DPRK, which happened in the '60s, generally lived peacefully there (I am sure there were incidents now and then because this is several people's lives over several decades, but I don't know of any incidents).
The doctor that picked him up said he was impressively taken care of given the lack of healthcare automation at the hospital he was at. Said that he didnt even have bed sores, which were common in overstaffed American hospitals, so the nurses were rotating him every hour.
If they have him I would guess he would spend a few years in prison of some sort until the North Koreans trade him in a prisoner exchange