Moon says N. Korea irrational, responsible for Warmbier's death

SEOUL, June 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in condemned North Korea Tuesday for the death of an American student who died after his release from detention in the communist North, calling Pyongyang an "irrational regime."

"We can speculate that there were many unjust and cruel treatments to Mr. (Otto) Warmbier. And I strongly condemn such cruel actions by North Korea," Moon said in an interview with CBS, according to a script of the interview posted by the American news outlet.

"We cannot know for sure that North Korea killed Mr. Warmbier. But I believe it is quite clear that they have a heavy responsibility in the process that led to Mr. Warmbier's death," he added.

Warmbier, a 22-year-old University of Virginia student, returned home in a coma last week after 17 months of detention in the North.

He died Monday (U.S. time), six days after his release.

bdk@yna.co.kr
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