SEOUL: North Korea has a history of detaining Americans and using them as bargaining chips against the United States. From journalists to missionaries, most Americans…
SEOUL: North Korea has a history of detaining Americans and using them as bargaining chips against the United States.
From journalists to missionaries, most Americans detained by the North have been released after high-profile interventions.
President Donald Trump tweeted on Wednesday (May 2) to « stay tuned » for news on the three Americans detained in North Korea, raising hopes for their release before a summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks.
It is unclear how the three detainees will be released this time, but here are some past examples:
FORMER PRESIDENTS
Former US president Bill Clinton made a trip to Pyongyang in 2009 to secure the release of journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who were sentenced to 12 years’ hard labour for illegally crossing the border.
And in 2010, Jimmy Carter personally obtained the release of Aijalon Mahli Gomes, who had been handed eight years’ hard labour for illegal entry.
Clinton met with then-leader Kim Jong Il, while Carter also held talks with top officials – and in both cases Pyongyang came away with major propaganda opportunities but little to show for the process in diplomatic terms.
The North’s official KCNA news agency reported that Clinton had an « exhaustive conversation » over dinner with Kim and passed on a verbal message from then-president Barack Obama.
