North Korea releases US prisoners ahead of talks
Triple exchange comes as Pompeo makes second trip to country to confirm date of Trump-kim summit
THREE American prisoners have been freed from North Korea and returned to the United States in a major diplomatic coup for Donald Trump.
Kim Dong-cheol, Kim Sang-deok and Kim Hak-seong, who have been imprisoned by the rogue regime for between one and three years, were all released.
The exchange came as Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, made a second visit to North Korea in as many months, spending 13 hours on the ground locked in talks.
Mr Pompeo told reporters on his way back to America that all three men were in “good health” and managed to climb stairs on their own.
He also confirmed that a date, time and location for Mr Trump’s historic meeting with Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, has been agreed and was now “locked in”.
An announcement is expected in the next few days. Mr Trump said yesterday that the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) that separates North and South Korea will not be the site of the meeting. State media reported the North Korean leader hailing the planned meeting with Mr Trump as a “historic” opportunity.
Kim Dong-cheol, 64, a South Koreanborn American pastor, was arrested in North Korea in 2015 on charges of spying and sentenced to 10 years of hard labour.
Kim Sang-deok, 59, and Kim Hakseong, believed to be in his fifties, were both working as academics at Pyongyang’s University of Science and Technology and were arrested last year on suspicion of “hostile acts” during heightened tensions over North Korea’s rapidly advancing nuclear and weapons programmes.
Following the announcement, the family of Kim Sang-deok, also known as Tony Kim, said they were “very grateful” for his release.
They said in a statement: “We want to thank all of those who have worked toward and contributed to his return. We also want to thank the president for engaging with North Korea. Mostly, we thank God for Tony’s safe return.”
US officials, including Mr Pompeo, are believed to have been working for months alongside foreign diplomats to secure the detainees’ release.
The goodwill gesture from Pyongyang comes amid a growing détente between North and South Korea, with America pushing for their release before the Trump-kim summit.
Mr Trump announced the news on Twitter, writing: “I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the three wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health.” The president is due to greet the US detainees when they arrive at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington this morning.
Mr Pompeo flew to Pyongyang on Tuesday and met Kim Jong-un – the second time he has seen the North Korean leader in two months – as well as other regime officials.
He assured them that the White House was committed to working with Pyongyang to resolve a standoff over its nuclear weapons and to bring peace to the Korean Peninsula.
Mr Pompeo extended Washington’s olive branch as he shared lunch with Kim Yong-chol, who is North Korea’s director for inter-korean relations.
Mr Pompeo said: “For decades, we have been adversaries. Now we are hopeful that we can work together to resolve this conflict, take away threats to the world and give your country all the opportunities your people deserve.”
Mr Kim responded by expressing “high expectations the US will play a big role in establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula”.