North Korea Releases 3 American Hostages Ahead of Highly Anticipated Trump-Kim Summit

It looks like North Korea was serious about changing its tune over relations with the rest of the world. 

In a dramatic turnabout on Tuesday, the isolated regime agreed to release three American hostages — Tony Kim, Kim Hak-song, and Kim Dong-chul — ahead of the highly-anticipated summit between President Trump and Kim Jong Un. This is a huge win for the president, and, of course, a great outcome for the families of those held captive.

North Korea transferred the prisoners from labor camps to a hotel near the capital Pyongyang.

Early Tuesday morning, President Trump tweeted, “I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting. They seem to be in good health. Also, good meeting with Kim Jong Un. Date & Place set.”

Trump later said Pompeo would be back in the U.S. by 2 A.M. on Thursday.

Who are the three hostages?

Tony Kim, 59, taught for a month at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology in 2017. As he attempted to leave the country, he was arrested by that authorities on unknown charges.

Kim Hak-song also worked at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. He was arrested in May 2017, just weeks after Tony Kim, for allegedly committing “hostile acts.”

Kim Dong-chul has been imprisoned in North Korea since October 2015. The government there convicted him of spying and subversion and sentenced him to ten years of hard labor.

–Joshua James