The parents of an American college student who tearfully apologized on North Korean state television on Monday for having plotted to steal a political banner said they had been unable to speak with their son since the North Korean police seized him two months ago. 
 
 In a statement about the arrest of the student, Otto F. Warmbier, an undergraduate at the University of Virginia, the parents, Fred and Cindy Warmbier, also said they hoped the televised apology would lead to his release. It was the first time they had said anything publicly about their son’s ordeal. 
 
 “Our top priority is to get him back home with us as quickly as possible,” read a copy of the statement released to the University of Virginia’s communications office after Mr. Warmbier’s appearance on a North Korean news broadcast. 
 
 The statement urged the North Korean government to “consider his youth and make an important humanitarian gesture by allowing him to return to his loved ones.” 

 My wife, Cindy, and I were greatly relieved to finally see a picture of our son, Otto, who was taken into custody by DPRK authorities in Pyongyang on January 2nd. We had not heard from him during these many weeks, so you can imagine how deeply worried we were and what a traumatic experience this has been for us. 
 
 
 
 We have only seen a few photos of him, but he seems to be in good health, although we won't know for sure about his condition until we have a chance to speak with him. 
 
 
 
 Otto has been away from us for many weeks now, and I know he misses us as much as we miss him. Our top priority is to get him back home with us as quickly as possible. 
 
 
 
 I hope the fact that he has conveyed his sincere apology for anything that he may have done wrong will now make it possible for the DPRK authorities to allow him to return home. I urge the DPRK government to consider his youth and make an important humanitarian gesture by allowing him to return to his loved ones. 
 
 
 
 Finally, I know the U.S. State Department and the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang have been working to try to secure Otto's release. I want to thank them for their efforts and encourage them to continue to do all they can to bring my son home. 
 

– Monday brought the sobbing televised confession of American college student Otto Warmbier; it also brought the release of the first public statement from his parents, who implored the North Korea government to free their son. The New York Times reads between the lines: "The careful wording suggested that all diplomatic efforts undertaken so far to establish contact between Mr. Warmbier and his parents had failed." The statement from Fred and Cindy Warmbier did establish that the two have not been able to speak with the 21-year-old University of Virginia student during these last two months, and references the efforts of the US State Department and Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang. It reads in part: "My wife, Cindy, and I were greatly relieved to finally see a picture of our son, Otto, who was taken into custody by DPRK authorities in Pyongyang on January 2nd. We had not heard from him during these many weeks, so you can imagine how deeply worried we were and what a traumatic experience this has been for us." Warmbier, per his confession, stole a political banner from a part of Pyongyang's Yanggakdo International Hotel accessible only to staff. He claimed to have done it on the urging of groups as varied as the CIA and an Ohio church. The Times notes that while it's not possible to determine whether the words were forced upon him, the "unlikely nature of the details" suggests that's the case.