Summary
Highlights
Emergency doctor Mike Flueckiger embarks on a secret mission to North Korea to retrieve US citizen Otto Warmbier, who was held captive for 14 months. The mission unfolds amidst peak tensions between North Korea and the US, with strict logistical challenges, including a ban on refueling in Pyongyang. Flueckiger keeps the destination secret from his family, highlighting the mission's sensitive nature.
Otto Warmbier, a promising student from Wyoming, Ohio, travels to North Korea for a New Year's adventure. He is arrested on January 2nd for allegedly stealing a propaganda poster from his hotel's staff floor. Two months later, North Korean TV broadcasts a coerced confession, followed by a sentence of 15 years hard labor for subversive activities. His condition from this point remains uncertain.
US negotiators, including Mickey Bergman and former UN Ambassador Bill Richardson, attempt to secure Warmbier's release through the 'New York channel' – a direct but informal line with North Korean UN representatives. North Korea is seen as using political prisoners, like Warmbier, as bargaining chips, especially during heightened tensions with the US. Bergman notes that North Korea saw Warmbier as a special case due to his background and the publicity surrounding his trial.
Flueckiger's flight faces a setback in Sapporo, as Japanese air traffic control initially refuses direct passage to Pyongyang due to non-existent flight routes. After high-level intervention, clearance is granted. Upon arrival, Flueckiger examines Warmbier, who appears awake but unresponsive. North Korean doctors offer two explanations for his condition: botulism poisoning or an adverse reaction to sedatives. Flueckiger finds no signs of torture and believes Warmbier received attentive care in the hospital.
The Warmbier family faces a dilemma: remain silent to protect negotiations or speak out. After Trump's inauguration, they choose to publicly criticize the Obama administration on Fox News, accusing them of inaction and blaming them for being ignorant. They appeal directly to President Trump to bring Otto home. Mickey Bergman reflects on the family's protracted struggle and the unexpected outcome.
North Korean doctors provide CT scans to Flueckiger, and Warmbier's sentence is commuted in a brief court hearing. On June 13, 2017, Otto Warmbier is released. During the flight, he shows signs of agitation, managed with sedatives. The White House's premature announcement of his release draws media attention, forcing a change in the arrival airport. His parents and siblings are reunited with a sedated Otto, who briefly reacts to their voices, an emotional moment for all involved.
A week after his return, Otto Warmbier dies. His parents, Fred and Cindy Warmbier, later appear on Fox News, describing Otto's dire condition upon return, including a shaved head, feeding tube, blindness, deafness, and dental damage, accusing North Korea of torture. President Trump supports their claim of torture on Twitter, despite no conclusive evidence from the hospital or coroner.
The coroner reveals that Warmbier's brain was deprived of oxygen for a significant period, leading to severe brain damage, but finds no evidence of physical torture. Explanations for the oxygen deprivation could include various forms of torture, suicide attempts, or the sedatives given by North Korean doctors. The coroner notes the lack of trauma to his teeth, contradicting the family's claims. She faces pressure for her findings not aligning with political rhetoric.
The Warmbiers file a lawsuit against North Korea, which results in a half-billion-dollar judgment based partly on President Trump's assertion of torture. The expert witness in the trial makes controversial claims, including about Warmbier's teeth and North Korea's intent to deter military action through torture. The expert acknowledges the lack of certainty regarding North Korea's intent to kill but emphasizes its irrelevance in the legal case. The Warmbiers initially align with Trump's anti-North Korea stance.
President Trump later praises Kim Jong-un and exonerates him in Warmbier's death, attributing it to lower-level officials. The Warmbiers express shock and disapproval, stating that Kim and his regime are responsible. Mickey Bergman discusses the complexities of Trump's diplomatic approach and the potential risks of high-wire personal diplomacy. An ex-diplomat reveals internal disagreements within the Trump administration regarding the torture claims, indicating a lack of confirming evidence.
The Warmbiers continue to seek clarity and become international campaigners against North Korea, sharing previously unseen photos of Otto. They question how a healthy young man could become a 'vegetable' without a definitive explanation. Flueckiger reflects on the mission, expressing frustration over North Korea's false claims about Otto's health and the prevailing lies surrounding the case.