According to this article in yahoo, North Korea released an American citizen who was kept in their country for a half a year.
Jun Young Su, who was arrested last November admitted committing a crime "against the state" during an investigation, North Korea's official KCNA news agency reported. U.S. rights envoy Robert King said about the caption while he paid a visit to the secretive state's capital to assess its pleas for food aid. It is said in the article that he would be released on "humanitarian grounds" according to the NOrth Korean news. It is also stated that Jun was a businessman from California and that he had been doing missionary work in the North Korea, which presumably caused him trouble.
The article itself is not mentioning much about Mr. Jun's condition or the exact reason why he was captured for so long. It was only according to the North Korea's official KCNA news agency that he admitted to commit a crime against the state. What does this exactly mean? How can he cause a crime against the state by doing a missionary work? Isn't religion freedom of choice for individuals? I guess it is not, in a state of monarchy under Kim Jung Il's rule. It's sarcastic that US right envoy was there while he was paying a visit for food aid purpose when one of their country's citizen was captured. It is another way of saying that Mr. Jun's life was not as important as negotiating with North Korea about nuclear weapon on behalf of food aid from America. Ofcourse, it is not as important for the nation as a whole, but for somebody who is representative for the right of their citizen, the protection for one citizen should be valued equally as well.
also do not understand how he would be released on "humanitarian grounds." What does that really mean? I can detect how careful the media is with their words and how careful the politicians are choosing their wordings. They are being too careful as to not mention exactly what happened to Mr. Jun while he was captured. Was he treated fairly as an individual, or was his right taken away under Kim Jung Il's command? And why couldn't US free him earlier? The article even had not much to say about this release and had to aid more information about food aid agreement. Isn't it such a shame that due to the state sovereignty, no country or another state can put a stop to Kim Jung Il's immoral, dictatorial ruling system? To put my opinion in "childish" terms, it is really disappointing to see all the countries are unable to control North Korea's bullying.
As much as NK is out of line for detaining him, it's also not the first time. If you go there to do missionary work, you've got to expect to run afoul of the authorities sooner or later. I can't say I have a whole lot of sympathy.
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