Americans freed by Pyongyang arrive home in US
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TWO Americans released from captivity in North Korea are back in the United States after their departure was secured through a secret mission by the top US intelligence official to the reclusive nation.
Matthew Miller and Kenneth Bae arrived late on Saturday at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.
US officials said the pair flew back with James Clapper, director of national intelligence and the highest-ranking American to visit Pyongyang in a decade.
The two men were met from the plane by their families.
“Thank you all for supporting me, lifting me up, not forgetting me,” Bae said. He also thanked the North Korean government for letting him go home.
“It’s been an amazing two years. I learned a lot, I grew a lot, I lost a lot of weight,” said Bae, a Korean-American missionary.
Neither Miller nor his family made a public statement.
“It’s a wonderful day for them and their families,” US President Barack Obama said at the White House on Saturday. “Obviously we are very grateful for their safe return and I appreciate Director Clapper doing a great job.”
Clapper spent about a day on the ground and met with North Korean security officials but not with the young leader, Kim Jong Un.
Bae and Miller were the last Americans held by North Korea. Bae was serving a 15-year sentence for alleged anti-government activities.
He was detained in 2012 while leading a tour group to a North Korean economic zone.
Miller was serving a six-year jail term on charges of espionage after he allegedly ripped up his tourist visa at Pyongyang’s airport in April and demanded asylum. North Korea said Miller had wanted to experience prison life so that he could secretly investigate North Korea’s human rights situation.
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