Detained UVA student apologizes to North Koreans

The University of Virginia student detained for two months in North Korea held a press conference Monday apologizing and begging the communist nation's people for forgiveness.

Otto Warmbier confessed: to stealing a propaganda poster. Calling his deed severe and pre-meditated, he claimed he was goaded by a church leader and a UVA secret society-- and by the CIA.

"I committed my crime of taking out the important political slogan from the staff-only area of the Yanggakdo International Hotel, aimed at harming the work ethic and the motivation of the Korean people."

However, a traveler told a UK paper that Warmbier's tour group had been having fun and consuming vodka drinks.

North Korea-- facing outrage for a nuclear test and satellite launch after Warmbier's January 2 arrest-- has a record of forcing confessions after detaining Westerners.

For WCVE News, Hawes Spencer in Charlottesville. #