Three American citizens, freed by North Korea ahead of the peace talks between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un, are back on United States soil. Unlike the previous prisoner release of Otto Warmbier, who died of the effects of severe brain trauma shortly after being returned (Reuters), all three of the Americans returned on Thursday morning are reportedly in good health.
Kim Dong Chul is 64 and has been incarcerated the longest, since October 2015. He was tried and convicted on espionage charges in 2016, where he confessed to having spied on behalf of South Korea. He had been living with his wife in the Chinese city of Yanji on the North Korean border and commuting to Rason in North Korea to operate a business dedicated to international hotel and trade services. He was born in South Korea but is a naturalized citizen of the United States.
59 year old Tony Kim, also known as Kim Sang Duk, was a Professor and guest lecturer of economics at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. Like Kim Dong Chul, he was born in South Korea but is an American citizen. He was with his wife at the airport when they were detained on April 22, 2017. His wife was allowed to leave the country; Tony Kim was not, although no official reason was given for his incarceration beyond a general “Hostile Acts”. His son released a Youtube video prior to the Olympics, trying to garner political support to free his father.
Kim Hak Song was and agricultural expert who also taught at PUST. He was detained days after Tony Kim, on May 6, 2017. Although born in China, Kim Hak Song is a naturalized American citizen. Kim was also charged with “Hostile Acts” as the reason for his detention, and like Tony Kim, no specificity followed, leading to the suspicion that the arrests were political in nature.
The three men were greeted by, President Trump, the First Lady, Vice President Pence, National Security Advisor John Bolton and Press Secretary Sarah Sanders.
Their families were not present at their arrival at Joint Base Andrews due to protocol.
Below are some images of their arrival.
Scene as journalists wait for President #Trump to greet three US detainees released by #NorthKorea at Andrews AFB now: Video pic.twitter.com/VlQRaaKlX1
— Oren Dorell (@OrenDorell) May 10, 2018
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has landed at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland after a whirlwind trip to North Korea, during which he was able to secure the release of three Americans held in North Korea. https://t.co/YDgssIw3JM pic.twitter.com/AFvqahLrX5
— CNN (@CNN) May 10, 2018
JUST IN: US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have boarded the plane to greet the trio of Americans who were freed from North Korean detention.
They're expected to exit the aircraft together: https://t.co/e46mqfdVUW pic.twitter.com/aBrSM61azJ
— CNN International (@cnni) May 10, 2018
BREAKING: President Donald Trump personally welcomes back three Americans as they arrive at a military base outside Washington after their release from North Korea https://t.co/Os8qZi891g pic.twitter.com/oBNciL1MJu
— CNN International (@cnni) May 10, 2018
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