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North Korea again withdrew an invitation for an American
diplomat to visit Pyongyang to discuss the release of Korean-American Kenneth Bae. This is the second time the Asian country has rescinded an
offer to free the Christian missionary who has been held in North Korea for
over a year.
North Korea blames the tensions caused by military actions
of the U.S. and South Korea, when supposed American B-52 bombers held flight
drills near the Korean Peninsula week. Ambassador Robert King is Washington’s special
envoy on North Korean human rights. Jen Psaki, the State Department’s
spokeswoman, pointed out that North Korea announced in May that it would not
use Kenneth Bae as a political bargaining chip.
North Korea first rescinded an invitation in August for King
to visit, after claiming Washington provoked them by flying B-52 bombers during
previous military drills with South Korea. Bae has been using Choson Sinbu, a
pro-North Korean newspaper based in Japan, to speak publicly.
Bae was arrested after he entered North Korea through the
city of Rason with a group of visitors in November 2012. Attempting to build a
covert proselytizing operation, he used a tourism business as a cover. He was
convicted of planning to bring down the government through religious
activities. According to the North Korean’s government, and sentenced to 15
years of hard labor.
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| Kenneth Bae |
Health problems have prevented Bae from attending a North
Korean labor camp. Bae claims he is suffering from back pain and neck pain.
Just three weeks ago however, he was transferred back to penal work according
to his family. Teri Chung, Bae’s sister, said that his return to the labor camp
“gives our family renewed urgency to bring him home.”
“We again call on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
to grant Bae special amnesty and immediate release as a humanitarian gesture so
he may reunite with his family and seek medical care,” said State Department
spokeswoman Jen Psaki on Sunday. “We will continue to work actively to secure Mr. Bae’s
release.”
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