Tourists slam UK-run firm in North Korea student death

A BRITISH-run tour firm has been accused of running dangerously boorish, booze-filled trips to North Korea after the death of a US tourist who ended up behind bars and in a coma.

Otto Warmbier, 22, died just days after arriving back in the US after spending 18 months in a North Korean prison. He was jailed after apparently admitting stealing a propaganda banner from his hotel.

The North Koreans say he contracted botulism and never woke up after being given a sleeping pill after his trial but US doctors found no evidence of the disease.

Mr Warmbier booked a four-day trip to the repressive nation with Young Pioneer Tours while he was en route to Hong Kong to study. The China-based company, whose chief executive is British entrepre-

‘Sexually provocative’

neur Gareth Johnson, 36, was still describing North Korea as ‘extremely safe’ on its website even after Mr Warmbier was flown back to his Cincinnati home in a coma.

British tourist Danny Gratton shared a room with Mr Warmbier during the tour and said he was ‘stunned’ the company had never asked him about what happened.

Adam Pitt, a 33-year-old Briton living in Dubai, travelled with Young Pioneer Tours to North Korea in 2103 accompanied by Mr Johnson. He said people on the tour drank to excess and asked sexually provocative questions of a female Korean guide – which Mr Johnson allegedly did nothing to stop.

The travel boss has yet to respond but Young Pioneer Tours guide Rowan Beard rejected Mr Pitt’s accusations. The firm said yesterday that it is no longer taking US tourists to North Korea and claimed it had made ‘constant requests’ to see Mr Warmbier during his captivity only to be told he was ‘fine’.