{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"English Learning for Curious Minds | A More Interesting Way To Learn English ","title":"#604 | Otto Warmbier: The American Tourist Who Never Came Home (English Listening Practice)","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/a92b209b\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1555,"description":"In 2016, a 21-year-old American student was arrested in North Korea after allegedly stealing a political poster. Weeks later, he appeared in a strange public confession and was sentenced to fifteen years of hard labour. Seventeen months on, he returned home in a coma, raising disturbing questions about what really happened behind closed doors. Otto Warmbier detained at Pyongyang airport after tour.Background on North Korea’s strict control and harsh punishments.Claimed theft of political banner; confession likely forced.Evidence doubts: grainy CCTV, timing issues, unlikely church plot.One-hour trial; sentenced to fifteen years’ hard labour.Seventeen months with little information; Sweden helped with messages.Released in coma; food poisoning doubted; died six days later.Public reaction: parents, Fox interviews, Trump’s changing position.Theories: accident, suicide attempt, lack of oxygen; truth unknown.Travel bans followed; lesson on North Korea’s cruelty. Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/otto-warmbier","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/HIneD2bpN38ZyIYQqvz9OwtMc5c5ep366psJkVe0ZiU/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzU3MDEvMTYyMDk3/Mzg5MS1hcnR3b3Jr/LmpwZw.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}