I would imagine it would be difficult to breath while drowning and there would be no signs of water in the lungs at this point. I have no doubts his condition is a result of his treatment at the hands of NK.

...why torture someone accused of vandalism? I don't recall allegations of espionage from the North Koreans, and I can't imagine they'd think he carried valuable intelligence.

(I can, of course, think of answers - that the people running North Korea are uncivilized beasts who torture people with little to no rationale comes to mind - but they still leave me with more questions.)

Your 2nd paragraph.

I can't imagine a crazy psychopath like Kim Jung Un wouldn't demand that he be able to "play" with an American prisoner himself.

That's the danger usually in an oxycodone overdose. He may have been sedated and then never woke up, but the breathing reflex continued after he was brain damaged, possibly if they attempted to revive him too late. The damaged part of his brain may have eventually had resumed blood flow, but wasn't able to use it.

This is just my amateur speculation. I only play a doctor on TV.

That's the North Korean story, anyway. (plus the sleeping pill)

Don't go to North Korea, even if you don't plan on doing silly stuff like taking down pictures of Dear Leaders and such.

I hope this motivates parents all over the world to seriously dissuade their kids from traveling anywhere near this hellhole.

Whatever did it, how tragic.

perhaps by attempted hanging.
That could cut off air supply for a time, enough to cause the type of damage described.

OTOH, his captors could have cut of his air by means of choke-hold, etc.

Apparently, the damage (or dead tissue) is in many or all parts of the brain, not just one or several areas. as in a stroke.

would have dealt with it better.

but his son is like donald trump with that much more power in that country .

the damage is reportedly consistent with cutting off the supply of oxygen to the brain.