S9, Chapter 3: Otto's Confession

0:00 I entirely beg you people in government of the Dprkorea or your forgiveness. Please. I have made the worst mistake of my life. Tapes from the Dark Side contains descriptions of violence and sexuality. Listener discretion is advised. First, I would like to thank everyone for coming to the press conference that I'm eagerly requested to have. I would also like to show my sincere gratitude to the government of the Dprkorea for giving me this opportunity to apologize for my crime, to beg for forgiveness, and to beg for any assistance to save my life.

0:52 On December twenty ninth, twenty fifteen, I entered the Dprkorea as a tourist. On January first, to sixteen, New Year's Day, I committed severe crimes against both the people and the government of the Dprkurrea. Due to this crime, on January second, twenty sixteen, I was detained and I am currently under investigation. My name is Otto Frederick Warmbier. I am twenty one years old. I am a student of finance at the University of Virginia. I am in my third year at the university. My residential address till Lane, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States with my family. At the moment, I live in a rented apartment near my university. My father, Frederick Warimbier, owns a very small factory called Finishing Cincinnati Black Oxide. Excuse me, that barely makes enough to support my family. My mother, Cindy Warmbier, is a housewife. I am the oldest son my family. My brother Austin Warmier and my sister Greta Warmber are both high school students in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. On January first, twenty sixteen, I committed the crime of taking out a political slogan from the staff only area of the Angakto International Hotel. The slogan inspires the people's love for their system. The task

2:28 was given by the Friendship United Methodist Church. At the encouragement of the z Society and the connivance of the United States Administration, I came to commit this crime task. The aim of this crime was to harm the work, ethic, and motivation of the Korean people. This was a very foolish aim. Growing up in the United States, I was taught that the DPR Korea is a mysterious, isolated communist nation. From education and mass media. This made an innocent, minded, venturous young man like myself want to show my bravery to improve my reputation and show a Western victory over the DPR Chorea. I was told by colleagues that North Korea is a beautiful country with great architecture and that if I was interested in communist nations, I needed to consider a visit.

3:19 Based on this recommendation, I started to consider my visit. Then, in January twenty sixteen, I was scheduled to take a UNI Oversity sponsored financial class in Hong Kong. I decided to use this opportunity to visit the DPR Korea as a tourist before my financial class. I asked my father and my brother to travel with me while I emailed both UK Choreo Tours and UK Young Pioneer Tours in August twenty fifteen, but it was too expensive and they are very busy, so they could not travel with me. I chose Young Pioneer Tours because it was cheaper. I gave my father eight hundred dollars and he agreed to pay the other four hundred dollars to cover the entire one thousand, two hundred dollars cost of a Young Pioneer's tour of the DPR Korea. Based on my applications confirmation, I chose to have my tour at the end of December twenty fifteen. Well. Then, on September twenty third, two fifteen, I was having dinner at my friends Stephen Webb's home with him and his mother, Sharon Webb. Stephen is a high school classmate and he currently attends Ohio State University. We are close friends, we live nearby, and we have known each other for ten years. Sharon is a deaconess in the Friendship United Methodist Church and her son, Stephen, is an active believer in this same church. Sharon emphasized that her church does not support the government of North

4:54 Korea and that communism should be ended. She said that communist nations rally around politics called slogans. She asked me to take an important political slogan from North Korea to be hung in her church as a trophy. She continued to say that by taking this slogan, we would weaken the unity and motivation of the North Korean people and show this country an insult from the west. She knew how desperately I needed a car to drive to my job this summer. So she offered me a used car worth ten thousand dollars if I was successful, and she said if I was detained and not returned, her church would make payment to my mother of two hundred thousand dollars in a way of a charitable donation. This is the amount that I am expected to pay for my brother and sister's university tuition out of the four hundred thousand dollars total. Then she showed me the Friendship United Methodist Church as official bank account statement with forty two million dollars. Well. At first, due to fear, I was hesitant, but since my family suffers from severe financial difficulties, I started to consider this as my only golden opportunity to earn money. Most importantly, Sharon said to never mention the Friendship United Methodist Church or no payments would come. In early October twenty fifteen, I informed my mother very little of my crime attempt offer, but I told her that I planned to steal something precious from North Korea, and if detained, her bank account would receive transfers from my brother

6:28 and sisters university tuition. She cried and said not to do anything dangerous I considered less not wanting to hurt my mother. But since then I received several alluring pressures from the Friendship United Methodist Church, leading me to finally decide on my crime attempt. In the meantime, the Z Society also clandestinely encouraged my act. After I came to know that all members get high paying jobs when they graduate, I eagerly wanted to join the Z Society. In late November two fifteen, I intentionally revealed my plan of my act to a member of the Z Society who was also currently a student at the University of Virginia.

7:09 He said that my act would certainly help with the Z Society's goal of spreading freedom and eliminating tyranny. He promised if I was successful, he would help me gain membership in the Z Society. He even said if I was caught, the Z Society could help pressure North Korea for my release. Finally, he said to never mention the Z Society's encouragement. After I planned in detail to accomplish my plan, I arrived in Kyeongyang on December twenty ninth, twenty fifteen, through Beijing on the early morning of January first, twenty sixteen, I committed my crime of taking out the important political slogan from the staff only area of the Angacto International Hotel, aimed at harming the work ethic and the motivation of the Korean people. After committing my crime against the people and government of the DPR Korea, I was detained on January second, twenty sixteen, at the Pyongyang International Airport. I was clearly given the task by the friendship United Methodist Church. I was encouraged by the Z Society. The United States administration already knows about my act through the CIA, which is closely linked to the Z Society and connived at my crime. My crime is very severe and pre planned. I regret my actions more than anything. I apologize to both the Korean people and the government. I beg for forgiveness and I beg for

8:41 help in any way possible to save my life. Otto then stands, takes another deep bow and says thank you very much for your attention during my speech. A Korean official who is sitting next to Auto then speaks into the microphonebody can listen, go warm beer. Speech is over. As you heard, the US administration is committing despicable acts against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. If you have any questions, please ask well. Autos speech has concluded.

9:33 The press conference is just getting started. Auto will now take questions from members of the press, all of which seem to be prescripted, one from a Korean reporter, one from a Japanese reporter, one from a Russian news agency, and one from a Chinese reporter. Notice how there are no European or American reporters at the press conference and no NATO members. Once again, I will provide translations where necessary, and if anything you hear or have already heard sounds confusing, or if you perhaps have questions, don't worry because we'll be covering everything in depth. I am from the Korean Central News Agency. Why do you think that the Friendship United Methodist Church gave such a task to you?

10:39 Thank you for your question. I will now address why the Friendship United Methodist Church gave me this task. The Friendship United Methodist Church is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. I have known about this church since my childhood because I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. You can easily find detailed information on this church from the Internet. The Friendship United Methodist Church is not a typical church. It is very wealthy with forty two million dollars. That is why the United States Administration has very close ties with this church. This church made a plan to enter into anti Christian countries which the United States Administration dislikes, and it is currently implementing this plan. Several Democratic Congressmen regularly visit this church to collect political fund donations and to assure their continued support of this church's policy. It is said that in two thousand and eight, around ten million dollars, around two to three percent of President Barack Obama's total election cost, was collected from this church. That is one of the reasons why the United States Administration works closely with the Friendship United Methodist Church and connives at all acts, including My Crime. The United States Administration and the

12:09 politicians used the Friendship United Methodist Church to harm the Dprkorea by all dirty ways and means. The Friendship United Methodist Church gave me My Crime task, which is closely matched to the United States Administration's hostile policy against the Dprkorea, in order to spread Christianity in the Dprkorea and to increase the church's support from the United States Administration. Therefore, my crime is the expected output of the United States Administration's consistent hostile policy against the Dprkorea and its implementation by the Friendship United Methodist Church. I was easily manipulated because of my family's severe financial difficulties and because I am a nonbeliever. The church knew that it could deny its involvement if my crime were to become public news. I hope that answers question, and you now all clearly understand the Friendship United Methodist Church's involvement in my crime.

13:05 Thank you all for your attention. Also, I'm not I am from the newspaper Rodong Sun Moon. You said that the Z Society encouraged you to commit such task. Tell me about the society as much as you know. We'll be right back after this quick break. And remember, if you never want to hear an ad on this podcast again, you can go to patreon dot com slash Tapes from the Dark Side right now. It takes about a minute to sign up. Thank you to everyone who supports us. Thank you very much for your question. I will now address the Z Society and it's encouragement of my crime. The Z Society is the most secret organization at the University of Virginia. All members and activities are strictly confidential. I first came to know of the Z Society in September twenty thirteen, when I had first started at the university. I saw large Z crests painted on all the buildings at the compound. You can see them if you visit to the University of Virginia. I was told that they are from the Z Society, since the society donates millions of dollars to the university. The Z Society has around ten student members currently and after graduation they all go on to become very wealthy with

14:35 jobs in politics, business, and religion. Members of the Z Society include former United States President Woodrow Wilson and a former head of the CIA. The stated objective of the Z Society is to spread freedom and eliminate tyranny. In order to become members, they must have good grades and leadership, and most importantly, they must commit a brave act to help with the society's stated objective. Once again, all members and activities are strictly confidential. It is well clear that the Z Society knew of my good grades and leadership. It is also clear that they knew that I would eagerly want to join the society in order to solve my family's desperate financial problems. Because of this, the Z Society expected me to commit a brave act to help eliminate tyranny. In order to prove my braveness to the Z Society, I committed my crime in the DPR career with hopes of joining the Z Society. As you know from the Cold War era example, the CIA has always been leading anti communism in every place in the world. There is no doubt that the CIA knows of the Z Society's encouragement of my crime. Lastly, I want to clearly state that I was the political victim of the United States consistent hostile policies against the DPR

16:07 Korea. I innocently tried to earn money through my crime in order to accomplish its political interests. The United States administration does not distinguish between friendly and enemy countries. Therefore, they manipulate people like myself to commit crimes in those countries. I wish that others do not follow in my footsteps. I hope all of you can now understand the Z Society's encouragement of my crime. Thank you all for listening. After Auto is finished with this response, he stands and bows. So I'm from the Johnson Sinbo Company under the General Association of the Korean Residents in Japan. You said you took many detailed steps to prepare for your crime in the dprk while you were in the United States. Will you tell me about it? Thank you for your question. I will now explain the preparations that I took while in the United States. I took many detailed steps to prepare for my crime in the DPR Korea while I was in the United States. In order to know more about slogans in the Dprkorea, I didn't internet Google image search with the keywords North Korea slogan. In my rented Virginia apartment, I saw well over thirty images. Some were framed, but

17:37 I thought that could easily be removed. They were large, red and rectangular. They were printed on a thin metal that I thought can easily be folded to fit in my suitcase. On December twenty third, twenty fifteen, I stole street signs for practice, and I kept them under the bed in my rented Virginia apartment. Then I discussed with my friend excuses that I could make if detained. I planned to say that I was drunk and did not remember. If spotted with the slogan, I planned to falsely state that I had bought the slogan at a souvenir shop. That is why at the start of the investigation, I tried to falsely state that I was drunk and had no idea. Then, on December twenty fifth, twenty fifteen, I intentionally packed my quietest boots, the best for sneaking. I knew that I would wear them during my crime commitment. I also chose to bring a large soup case to fit the slogan and made plans to buy a new suit case in the Dprkorea if needed. Based on this detailed preparation, I came to commit my crime in the Dprkorea. Thank you all again for your continued attention. Once again, Otto stands and bows, I am Uri SUDORV from the Russian tass tell me once again about the details of the crimes you committed in Korea.

19:11 Thank you for your question. I will now explain the details of my crime commitment. On December twenty seventh, two thousan fifteen, I alone arrived in Beijing and spent two days looking around the city. On December twenty ninth, two thousand fifteen, I met my tour group at the Beijing International Airport. That afternoon, we arrived at the Pyongyang International Airport and we checked into the Yangakto International Hotel. While in Pyongyang, I prepared additionally for my crime.

19:51 On the morning of December thirty, two thousand fifteen, I asked my UK tour guide where they keep the important slogans in the Yangakto intern National Hotel. She said they're in staff only areas. That night, I alone walked around the second floor lobby until I saw a staff only sign in English opposite the hotel shop. I checked for cameras and saw none. I knew where. I knew where I would commit my crime. I chose the early morning of January first, twenty sixteen New Year's because I thought there would be less employees for the holiday. I knew my tour group would be drunk, so I could use my planned excuse that I was just drunk like them. The next morning, December thirty, first, twenty fifteen, I intentionally wore my quietest boots, the ones that I had prepared while in the United States. Around one o'clock am on January first, twenty sixteen, my tour group returned to the Agacto International Hotel. After looking at the Pyongyang night view, I took my coat and my items up to my room. Around one thirty am, I joined my tour group at the second floor lobby draft beer bar. Then I snuck away from the bar and quietly entered the staff only area. I saw no one and I saw the desired slogan hanging on a right sidewall.

21:17 I approached the wall and with two hands, grabbed the slogan at the bottom and removed it from the hangers. It was much bigger and heavier than I had expected. I became very scared, and I realized that I could not take the slogan hastily. I put it down upside down. I snuck out of the staff only area and ran up to my hotel room. I hope that clearly explains the details of my crime procedure. Thank you all again for your attention. After his response once again at his stands and bows, I'm ash you got me that I'm from the Chinese Zenoa News agency. You said you are now under investigation as you've committed serious crimes. Have you been put to any tortures or under psychological pressure from a judicial organ of the dprk Thank you for your question. I will now discuss my treatment while in the Dprkorea.

22:22 As an American citizen detained for severe crimes in the Dprkorea, I had feared that I may receive torture or mental pressure. That was my totally wrong thinking. I have been given the most humanitarian treatment in a hotel class guest house, with no torture or mental pressure. I am fed three meals daily of high quality, and I was given a full medical check. I am given one hour daily to walk outside. I have given a weekly saw, a bath, and I was given a haircut. I sleep more than eight hours nightly. As you all can see, I am healthy, but I miss my family very much. I have been very impressed by the Korean government's humanitarian treatment of severe criminals like myself and of their very fair and square legal procedures in the DPR Korea. I am the most ashamed I have been in my life for committing a crime in such a friendly country, and at least through this press conference, my family will see that I am in good health and find some relief. However, I miss that family so so much.

23:33 I understand the severity of my crime and I have no idea what sort of penalty I may face. But I am begging to the Korean people and government for my forgiveness, and I am praying to the heavens so that I may be returned home to my family. I hope that clearly explains my humanitarian treatment while in the DPR Korea. Thank you all for listening again, under stands and bows, cogs club any more questions, asked the Korean facilitator. There are none, so one dual then warm beer? Do you want to say any more? Once again, I want to thank all of you for sparing the precious time to come to the press conference that I eagerly requested to have.

24:26 I would also like to again show my sincere gratitude to the government of the Dprkorea for giving me this opportunity to beg for forgiveness. On the morning of January first, twenty sixteen, I made the worst decision of my life and committed a very severe crime against both the people and the government of the Dprkorea. I understand the severity of my crime. I have acted to harm the unity and ideological basis of your country. I am so ashamed of myself for the harm that I have caused. I entirely beg for forgiveness. I apologize to every one of the millions of Korean people, and I beg that you see how I was used and manipulated. My reward for my crime was so much smaller than the reward that the Friendship United Methodist Church and the z Society get from the United States administration. The United States administration used me like many before me. I am a victim of the United States administrations consistent hostile policies against the DPR Korea. I wish that the United States citizens who may follow in my precedence never never allow yourselves to be a lord by the United States Administration. Through my tour in this country, I have come to see that reality in the DPR Korea is very different from the state of evils that

25:57 the West tagged. And I have come to see that the current human rights issues in the DPR Korea consistently highlighted by the United States administration is nothing more than an excuse to harm and eventually overthrow the government of the DPR Korea. My dear United States citizens, seeing is believing, as the proverb goes, please come to Pyongyang, which one United States citizen long ago called an eastern Jerusalem, then you will believe me once again. I want to beg for forgiveness. Please, people in government of the DPR Korea. I beg that you see how I was used and manipulated. Please hack to save me, save my life. Please do not only think of me, Please forgive me for my family. I am the oldest son in my family. My mother needs me if all the needs me. My younger brother and my younger sister need me. I have made the single worst decision of my life, but I am only human. I beg that you consider that, and I beg that you find it in your hearts to give me forgiveness and allow me to return home to my family. I also beg that journalists accurately and objectively report

27:34 my story and provide help of any kind. Thank you all for giving me this opportunity. After this press conference, my family will come to know about my current situation. I am very worried that they may be harmed and like I was manipulated by the United States Administration, I am worried that they may be threatened were harmed by those from the government. I beg for any kind of public protection for my family. One final time, people in government of the Dprkrea, I beg for forgiveness. I never should have allowed myself to be a lord in the United States administration to commit a crime in this country.

28:29 I wish that the United States Administration never manipulate people like myself in the future to commit crimes against foreign countries. I entirely beg you people and government of the Dprkorea for your forgiveness. Please, I have made the worst mistake of my life. Please think of my family. That is it for this interview with the American citizen Auto, Frederick Warrenbier. There are so many bizarre moments in this speech. From Auto's awkward phrasing using unnatural terms such as crime, task, crime, attempt to offer, among others, there's the wild claims of Auto, a Jewish college kid having links to a Methodist church who was in league with the CIA, and then there is the mysterious z Society, who Auto claims encouraged him to commit this crime. My first instinct upon hearing this speech was that the entire thing, from start to finish was written for Auto by the Korean government. Nearly every claim sounded absurd, but in

30:02 telling the stories on this podcast, I feel that my commitment is to the truth, no matter what that might be, and so I did my duty and began digging. And what I've found might surprise you. I'll tell you every detail on the next episode of Tapes from the Dark Side. I'm Tz Borden and I'm the host and creator of Tapes from the Dark Side. First, I have to say a huge thank you to every single person who supports us on Patreon. We make a little bit of money off of ads, but our show isn't big enough yet to have a dedicated sponsor, so all of you are our sponsors and the show simply wouldn't exist without you. I do this full time because I love it. I'm not getting rich off this show. I guarantee you that at least not yet, but maybe one day.

31:06 If you want to help me out in buying groceries while I make this show and also help me pay for the editing fees, website fees, research fees, and a bunch of others little hidden costs that come along the way. You can do so by signing up at patreon dot com slash Tapes from the Dark Side. Thank you to our new five dollars members Daniel Milliard, shar Baker, Heather Duncan, Craig Romano, Joanna Leitch, Ashley Chilton, Colleen and Jessica King, and our five dollar yearly members, which you get two months free if you sign up for a year, Lori Ordway and Sarah.

31:48 Thank you to our producers who are absolutely out of their minds by supporting me at the producer tier of fifteen dollars a month. Christy Reese, Tyler Ernster, Violet Ross, Greg b Angela, m F Santana, Savine, Alexis, Kathleen, Vanessa Miller, Sherry Sly, Noah Schultz, Shelley Jones, Olivia Schmid, Amber Catlett, Chris Schaumberg and Gina Oibunco. We have fifteen producers and we're trying to reach our goal of twenty. Will you be one of the brave few who takes the leap into the producer tier, which is also our most rewarded tier. That's right. We do have rewards on Patreon, exclusive stickers, enamel pins, merch discounts, and of course you get every episode ad free and at the highest audio quality. Thank you to our writer for this season, Carrissa Collins. She does freelance writing, so if you want to get in touch with her, I would highly recommend her.

32:58 That's Carissa College at gmail dot com. I'm also going to put her email in our show notes. Thank you as always to twenty six hundred, whose song we adapted for our main theme, and to Augusta Trevororum. You can find links to our musical artists in the show notes. And lastly, I've finished up the polishing touches for our merch store. It has been opened for the month of August and it's just about to close. So if you want to grab in official Tapes from the dark Side t shirt, then go to Tapes from the dark Side dot com slash Merch, which will connect you to our merch store. And remember, if you're a Patreon user, you get thirty percent off, which is a pretty big discount. I think on a thirty dollars T shirt you're getting it for only twenty bucks and we have free shipping on orders over sixty dollars, so check that out. Tapes from the dark Side dot com, slash merch and remember, till next time, try to enjoy the daylight.