SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Il issued a "special pardon" for two American journalists and ordered their release at former U.S. President Bill Clinton's request, North Korean media reported Wednesday.
The move to release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, sentenced in June to 12 years of hard labor, reflected North Korea's "humanitarian and peaceloving policy," the Korean Central News Agency said in a dispatch from Pyongyang early Wednesday.
Clinton landed in the North Korean capital on Tuesday on a quiet mission to negotiate the freedom of the two women working for former Vice President Al Gore's Current TV media venture. During his visit, he held rare talks with Kim — the reclusive North Korean leader's first meeting with a prominent Western figure since reportedly suffering a stroke a year ago.
The KNCA report said Clinton visit was ending Wednesday but left unclear if he had yet left.
Lee, 36, and Ling, 32, were arrested in March after crossing into North Korea from China, where they had been reporting on North Korean defectors. They were sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for illegal entry and engaging in "hostile acts."
Washington had pushed for their release, with Clinton's wife, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, requesting they be granted amnesty.
State media said Clinton apologized on behalf of the women and relayed President Barack Obama's gratitude. The report said the visit would "contribute to deepening the understanding" between North Korea and the U.S.
Earlier, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs denied Clinton went with a message from Obama.
The two nations fought against one another during the 1950-53 Korean War, and do not have diplomatic relations.
