FREEDOM
Who are the US prisoners freed by North Korea and has Donald Trump met Tony Kim, Kim Hak-song, and Kim Dong-chul?
IN a gesture of goodwill towards the USA, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un released three American prisoners from a brutal labour camp.
Donald Trump was delighted with the move from the secretive nation. Here is everything we know about them.
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Who are the freed North Korean prisoners Tony Kim, Kim Hak-song, and Kim Dong-chul?
The three American citizens were languishing in a brutal North Korean labour camp for almost a year before they were released by dictator Kim Jong-un as a goodwill gesture.
Tony Kim, Kim Hak-song and Kim Dong-chul were jailed for more than a year in gulags but said to be in good health. Here is what they were being held for:
- Kim Hak-song was held by the secretive nation on suspicion of "hostile acts" in May 2017. He had described himself as a Christian missionary who planned to start an experimental farm at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. Kim was born in Jilin, China, and educated in California after moving to the US. He was also an ordained evangelic Christian pastor.
- Tony Kim also known as Kim Sang-duk, also worked at the university and taught accounting. In April 2017 he was detained on espionage charges. South Korean media reported that he had been involved in humanitarian work in the North.
- Kim Dong-chul is a pastor in his early 60s and was arrested in 2015 on spying charges and later sentenced to 10 years hard labour in April 2016. He was born in South Korea and spent the longest time in the gulag. Before his sentencing the former Virginia resident publicly apologised for slandering North Korea's leadership, collecting and passing confidential information to South Korea, and joining a smear campaign against the North's human rights situation.
It is not known if Kimg Hak-song and Tony Kim were ever formally convicted sentenced for their alleged crimes against the secretive state.
The last American prisoner to be freed by the dictator, Otto Warmbier, was returned to the US in a vegetative state 15 months after his conviction of crimes against the state and later died.
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Has Donald Trump met them?
The US president announced on Twitter that he would be greeting the freed prisoners when they touched down on American soil.
The tweet reads: "Secretary Pompeo and his “guests” will be landing at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:00 A.M. in the morning. I will be there to greet them. Very exciting!"
The former detainees touched down at a US Amry base in Maryland in the early hours of May 10 and were greeted by a beaming President Trump, who boarded the plane to shake their hands as they exited the aircraft.
The trio made peace signs and smiled as they finally returned to American soil after a lengthy flight home via Japan.
Trump's wife Melania was also there to welcome the former prisoners back home.
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What have their families said about their release?
While Tony Kim and the two other American citizens were detained his son Sol Kim released a statement
His statement reads: "'My family and I appreciate the ongoing support for the release of the 3 Americans (#USA3) detained in North Korea including my dad, Tony Kim. We are hopeful but we have no indication that they have been released. Thank you for your continued prayers and efforts to help bring them home. We look forward to all of the families being reunited very soon.' – Sol Kim"
His family have also been vocal since Tony Kim's release was secured by the North Korean dictator's goodwill gesture.
Their statement reads: "We are very grateful for the release of our husband and father, Tony Kim, and the two other American Detainees. We want to thank all of those who have worked towards and contributed to his return home. We also want to thank the President for engaging directly with North Korea. Mostly, we thank God for Tony's safe return.
"We appreciate all of the support and prayers of friends and even strangers during this challenging year. You are dear to our hearts.
"We ask that you continue to pray for the people of North Korea and for the release of all those who are still being held."
Tony Kim will be able to meet his grandchild for the first time now he safely back on US soil.
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In an interview with before the prisoners release was secured Kim Hak-Song's wife said: "I believe 100 per cent that you served our people with love.
"I hope you can stay strong there and hope that you can return to our family very soon."
She found out her husband had been detained in North Korea after he didn't return home from a business trip from the secretive state.
She added: "I waited until the last passenger left the train. The train doors closed, but he didn't come out."
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