Father of Student Who was Detained in North Korea Has Harsh Words for Obama Foreign Policy

Maureen Collins | June 15, 2017
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Fred Warmbier had some harsh things to say about the Obama administration. 

Mr. Warmbier's son, Otto, was detained in North Korea after being sentenced to 15 years hard labor when he allegedly tried to steal a propaganda poster. Today, Otto, who has been in a coma for almost a year, is back on U.S. soil.

No thanks to the Obama administration. 

While speaking in a press conference Friday regarding his son's release from North Korea. Warmbier was asked if he thought the previous administration could have done more to get Otto released. He answered shortly, "I think the results speak for themselves." 

"We've been to Washington, D.C. over a dozen times. We met everyone from the past administration from John Kerry to the Swedish ambassador Stiernlöf," he said. "We've met our senators, our congressmen, we've worked with Governor Richardson. So, those were our efforts and we relied on this false premise that they would treat Otto fairly and let him go."

But when the Kim regime sentenced Otto as a war criminal, his parents knew his release was a long way off. According to Warmbier, the previous administration, which has been widely criticized for their deferential approach to foreign policy, took a "sit and wait" approach to Otto's detention.

Still, the family followed official advice until they concluded that it was not working: 

"We knew the dynamic was changing and, honestly, nothing was happening in our world for Otto. No communication, no letters, nothing. So, we did what we could. We tried to stay low. We were advised that it was important that you don't upset the North Koreans and so we followed that logic and then there came a time where that doesn't seem to have any impact. So we went public with an interview on the Tucker Carlson show and then did a couple of written pieces. And then, very quickly, we have Otto home."

From Benghazi to the Iran nuclear deal, the Obama administration and its State Department have been accused of "leading from behind," a practice many critics hoped would change when Donald Trump took office this past January. Perhaps the release of Otto Warmbier is a good sign. 

Fred Warmbier was certainly pleased with his phone conversation with the new president after his son's release. The father told the press that Trump showed genuine concern for the family and was "candid" about how hard Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and others worked to negotiate Otto's release. 

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