An American citizen who was detained by the North Korean authorities after leaving a Bible in his hotel room has been freed.
Jeffrey Fowle was arrested at the airport in April and was held behind bars until his release this week.
CNN reports that he was picked up by an American government plane on Tuesday and is already on his way back to the US.
It was not clear from the report how the release came about, but a senior State Department official confirmed to CNN that the North Korean authorities had indeed let him go.
Last month Fowle told the network that he was due to go on trial soon and had pleaded with the US for help to secure his release.
He also claimed that his treatment had been “very good so far”.
“And I hope and pray that it continues, while I’m here two more days or two more decades,” he said.
He spoke to CNN along with two other Americans being held behind bars in North Korea, Matthew Miller and Kenneth Bae.
Bae is a Christian who formerly ran tours in North Korea. He was sentenced to 15 years of hard labour in 2012 after being found guilty of trying to overthrow the North Korean government.
Miller was sentenced to six years of hard labour in September for committing “acts hostile to the DPRK”. It was reported that upon entering North Korea on April 10, he tore up his tourist visa and requested political asylum.
Fowle, from Ohio, spoke previously about his desire to get back to his wife and three children.
In a statement in August, they pleaded on his behalf with the government of the DPRK and offered a “heartfelt apology”.
“Jeff has apologised publicly for his actions and Jeffrey’s family petitions the government of the DPRK for mercy toward Jeffrey and asks for his release,” they said.
Source and Original Content by Christian Today