DPRK releases 2 American journalists -- china.org.cn

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton left Pyongyang Wednesday morning aboard a chartered plane along with two American journalists released by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), after a 20-hour visit there largely aimed at bringing the two home.

The two female American journalists just amnestied by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) left Pyongyang on Wednesday morning aboard a chartered plane carrying the homebound former U.S. president Bill Clinton.[Xinhua]

The two women, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who worked for the San Francisco-based Current TV co-founded by Clinton's Vice President Al Gore, were captured on March 17 for allegedly crossing the DPRK border from China and committing "hostile actions" against the country. They were sentenced to 12 years of hard labor in June.

The DPRK granted an amnesty and released them during Clinton's visit to the country, the DPRK's official KCNA news agency reported on Wednesday.

Ling, 32, is Chinese American, while Lee, 36, is Korean American. Both are from California.

"The measure taken to release the American journalists is a manifestation of the DPRK's humanitarian and peace-loving policy," the KCNA report said.

During Clinton's trip, he met with DPRK top leader Kim Jong Il and they had talks on improving bilateral relations.

During the talks, Clinton "sincerely apologized" on behalf of the women for the "hostile acts committed against the DPRK after illegally intruding into it," and conveyed a request of the U.S. government to pardon them and send them home, the KCNA said.

"Clinton courteously conveyed a verbal message of U.S. President Barack Obama expressing profound thanks for this," it added.

Kim and Clinton "had candid and in-depth discussions on the pending issues between the DPRK and the United States in a sincere atmosphere and reached a consensus of views on seeking a negotiated settlement of them," the report said.

Clinton also conveyed a verbal message of Obama "reflecting views on ways of improving the relations between the two countries," it added.

Clinton's visit will "contribute to deepening the understanding between the DPRK and the United States and building the bilateral confidence," it said.

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