Missionary Release

Robert Park, a 28-year-old Korean-American missionary and human rights activist, was arrested on Christmas Day after entering North Korea. Now the country’s state-controlled media is reporting that Park will be released. —JCL

The Guardian:

An American missionary arrested after entering North Korea is set to be released, according to the state-controlled media.

Robert Park, 28, was arrested after entering the country on Christmas Day carrying a letter to its leader, Kim Jong-il. He is believed to have been attempting to draw attention to the tens of thousands of political prisoners said to be held in the communist state.

KCNA reported this morning that an investigation into Park, a Korean-American human rights activist, had found he trespassed into North Korea “due to his wrong understanding of the DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea]”.

“The relevant organ of the DPRK decided to leniently forgive and release him, taking his admission and sincere repentance of his wrongdoings into consideration,” KCNA said.

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AP / Ahn Young-joon

A South Korean man watches a TV news report on American missionary Robert Park at a train station in Seoul.