Court orders North Korea to pay half a billion dollars to family of deceased American
On December 24, a US judge ruled that the North Korean government must pay more than $501 million to the family of Otto Warmbier, who died after being held in a North Korean prison.
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| American student Otto Warmbier. Photo: Reuters |
That represents about 4 percent of North Korea's entire economy. Under the ruling by federal judge Beryl Howell, the compensation must be paid to Warmbier's parents, Frederick and Cynthia Warmbier. They will have to notify the North Korean government of the court's decision.
In 2017, Pyongyang returned 22-year-old Otto Warmbier to the United States after serving 17 months in prison for tearing down a propaganda poster. After returning to the United States, the student became seriously ill and died.
