By Stoyan Zaimov
North Korea has turned back on its decision to discuss the possible release of imprisoned Christian missionary Kenneth Bae by rescinding its invitation to an American special envoy, blaming a planned joint military exercise between the U.S. and South Korea.
“We are deeply disappointed by the [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s] decision – for a second time – to rescind its invitation for Ambassador [Robert] King to travel to Pyongyang to discuss Kenneth Bae’s release,” an unnamed State Department official told Fox News.
“We again call on the DPRK to grant Bae special amnesty and immediate release as a humanitarian gesture so he may reunite with his family and seek medical care. We will continue to work actively to secure Mr. Bae’s release. Per our long-standing offer, we remain prepared to send Ambassador King to North Korea in support of Mr. Bae’s release.”
Bae, an American citizen who was arrested in November 2012 while working as a tour operator from China to North Korea and sentenced to 15 years of hard labor supposedly for making plots against the government, was recently moved from a hospital to a labor camp.
The State Department expressed deep concerns on Friday after it found out about the move, noting that Bae is suffering from long-term illnesses and needs proper care.
The U.S. had hoped to send King, the special envoy for North Korean Human Rights issues, to the Pacific nation to discuss Bae’s release and have him return home to his family in America, but North Korea’s objection to planned military exercises between the U.S. and South Korea later this month has squashed those plans.