international affairs

American Held in North Korea Gets a Visit From Mom

A passerby watches a local television broadcast in Seoul on May 2, 2013 showing a report and picture of Kenneth Bae (L), a Korean-American tour operator detained in North Korea. North Korea said on May 2 it had sentenced a Korean-American tour operator to 15 years' hard labour for 'hostile acts', stoking tensions with the United States, which had pleaded for his release.
Photo: KIM JAE-HWAN/AFP/Getty Images

North Korea has rebuffed a planned visit by U.S. envoy Robert King to try to arrange freedom for imprisoned missionary Kenneth Bae. Dennis Rodman didn’t even try to bring it up. So Kenneth Bae’s mother, Myunghee Bae, is not holding out any great hope for securing his release during her visit, which started Thursday. “All I know is that I want to see my son,” she told Reuters. Her daughter said Myunghee only intended “to hold him, comfort him, encourage him, and be with him in person.” Though seeing him freed would sure be nice.

American Held in North Korea Gets Visit From Mom