PYONGYANG, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- The two American female journalists captured on March 17 and sentenced to 12 years of "labor reform" in June by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea(DPRK) were granted an amnesty and released during former U.S. president Bill Clinton's visit to the country, the official KCNA news agency reported on Wednesday. "The measure taken to release the American journalists is a manifestation of the DPRK's humanitarian and peace-loving policy," the KCNA report said. Clinton "sincerely apologized" for the "hostile acts committed by the two American journalists 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 report said. "Clinton courteously conveyed a verbal message of U.S. President Barack Obama expressing profound thanks for this," it added. The DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Il met with Clinton and "had candid and in-depth discussions on the pending issues between the DPRK and the U.S. in a sincere atmosphere and reached a consensus of views on seeking a negotiated settlement of them," the official report on Clinton's visit to Pyongyang said. Clinton conveyed a verbal message of President 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 U.S. and building the bilateral confidence
," it concluded. Another KCNA dispatch said Clinton left Pyongyang for home on Wednesday, but didn't say whether the two American journalists were leaving on the same plane. Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, and Kim Kye Gwan, the country's vice-minister of foreign affairs, saw Clinton off at the airport, it noted. Clinton arrived in Pyongyang on Tuesday noon by a chartered plane. The United States and the DPRK have no diplomatic relations. A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK hinted in late July that the country may hold one-on-one talks with the United States
, while ruling out the possibility of returning to the six-party talks aimed at dismantling its nuclear programs.Former U.S. president Clinton meets two American journalists detained in DPRK WASHINGTON
, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. president Bill Clinton on Tuesday met with two American woman journalists detained in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) hours after his arrival in Pyongyang, ABC News reported. Clinton's meeting with Laura Ling and Euna Lee
, both sentenced by the DPRK's highest court in June to 12 years in a labor camp for an illegal border crossing, is "very emotional," ABC News quoted an unidentified government source as saying. Full storyBackgrounder: Detention, trial of two U.S. journalists by DPRK PYONGYANG, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. President Bill Clinton arrived in Pyongyang, the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), on Tuesday. DPRK officials did not reveal the purpose of Clinton's visit, but the visit is reportedly related with negotiations for the release of two detained American journalists. Full storyFormer U.S. president heading to DPRK for detained journalists SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. President Bill Clinton was heading to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Tuesday to seek the release of two detained American journalists. "Former President Clinton is en route to Pyongyang," the Yonhap news agency quoted an informed source as saying. "As soon as he arrives there, he will begin negotiations for the release of the journalists." Full storyU.S. calls for amnesty for American journalists jailed in DPRK WASHINGTON, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Obama administration on Friday called on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to grant amnesty to two female American journalists who were sentenced to 12 years in prison for "hostile actions" against the country. "The two journalists and their families have expressed great remorse for this incident
, and I think everyone is very sorry that it happened," Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said. Full storyTwo American journalists sentenced in DPRK PYONGYANG, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The Central Court of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) sentenced two American journalists to 12 years of reform through labor, the official Korean Central News Agency reported on Monday. The trial of American journalists Laura Ling and Seung-eun Lee was held from June 4 to 8
, the report said. Full storyRelated Topics Articles：
