North Korea has freed a Canadian pastor who was serving a life sentence of hard labour, one day after a Canadian delegation arrived to negotiate his release.

KCNA, North Korea's official news agency, said on Wednesday that Hyeon Soo Lim had been "released on sick bail… from the humanitarian viewpoint."

Lim, who is also known as Rim Hyon Su, served as pastor at one of the largest churches in Canada, Light Korean Presbyterian Church in Mississauga, Ont. He was sentenced to hard labour for life in December 2015 for what North Korea says was an attempt to overthrow the regime.

A spokesperson for his family — his wife and son live in the Toronto area — confirmed the news of his release in a statement to the media.

The 62-year-old, who was born in South Korea, is reportedly in poor health. He is said to need medication to treat high blood pressure.

CBC News reported on Tuesday that Daniel Jean, the national security adviser to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, had arrived in North Korea to negotiate his release. The last attempt at such talks was made in late 2016. Canada does not have an embassy in North Korea, and has advised against all travel there.

The latest negotiations got underway amid heightened tensions between Pyongyang and Washington over the former's missile and nuclear weapons tests. The isolated state said it is considering an attack against the U.S. territory of Guam after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened it with "fire and fury like the world has never seen."

Church members 'so happy'

Lim's church has said he visited North Korea more than 100 times since 1997 and helped set up an orphanage and nursing home. Family and friends have previously said he was visiting those projects at the time of his arrest in February, 2015.

Word of Lim's release drew members of his congregation to their church, west of Toronto, Wednesday morning.

Charles Baik, an associate pastor with the church's English ministry, told The Canadian Press that members of the church are ecstatic at the prospect of Lim's return.

"We're so happy he's been released," Baik said from outside the church.

Baik said Lim's ordeal would not deter the church from future humanitarian projects in the country.

"Missions will never stop, no matter where they may be," he said.

Others detained

Lim was arrested on charges that included trying to use religion to destroy the North Korean system, disseminating negative propaganda about the North and helping U.S. and South Korean authorities to abduct North Korean citizens.

One month into his sentence, Lim told CNN he spent eight hours a day, six days a week, digging holes for apple trees in the labour camp's orchard. He said he had not seen any other prisoners.

North Korea released another foreign prisoner, U.S. tourist Otto Warmbier, in June, though he died just days later. (Kim Kwang Hyon/Associated Press)

North Korea released another foreign prisoner, U.S. tourist Otto Warmbier, in June. Warmbier had been sentenced in March 2016 to 15 years' hard labour for subversion but arrived home in a coma and died just days later. Pyongyang blamed the 22-year-old's condition on botulism.

Heather Nauert, a U.S. State Department spokesperson, was asked about Lim's release at a news briefing in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday as it pertains to the three Americans known to be currently detained in North Korea.

Nauert said there was no update on their status, and that the U.S. will continue to work for their release, with the assistance of the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang.

They are: </s> North Korea freed a Canadian pastor serving a life sentence there on humanitarian grounds, the official KCNA news agency said on Wednesday, just hours after the United States warned it would counter any threat from the North with “fire and fury.”

The release came a day after Canadian officials said a delegation led by the country’s national security adviser had traveled to North Korea to discuss the case of Hyeon Soo Lim, sentenced to hard labor for life in December 2015.

North Korea had accused Lim, who served in one of the largest churches in Canada, of attempting to overthrow the regime.

“Rim Hyon Su, a Canadian civilian, was released on sick bail according to the decision of the Central Court of the DPRK on August 9, 2017, from the humanitarian viewpoint,” KCNA said, using the country’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

There was no obvious direct connection between the release and the standoff with the United States, but North Korea has in the past attracted the attention of Washington, and visits by high-profile Americans, with the detention and release of U.S. citizens.

Lim’s family had become more concerned for his welfare since the death in June of American student Otto Warmbier, who had been held in North Korea for 17 months.

Warmbier, sentenced last year to 15 years’ hard labor for trying to steal a propaganda item from his hotel during a tour, died in a Cincinnati hospital just days after being released in a coma. The circumstances of his death remain unclear.

North Korea is still holding three Americans. The U.S. State Department said last week it would ban U.S. nationals from traveling to the isolated country, beginning in September.

Lim’s Toronto-area church has said he visited the North more than 100 times since 1997 and helped set up an orphanage and nursing home. Last year, Lim told CNN he spent eight hours a day digging holes at a labor camp where he had not seen any other prisoners.

On Wednesday, North Korea said it was considering plans for a missile strike on the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, just hours after President Donald Trump told the North that any threat to the United States would be met with “fire and fury.” </s> BEIJING/SEOUL: North Korea freed a Canadian pastor serving a life sentence there on humanitarian grounds, the official KCNA news agency said on Wednesday, just hours after the United States warned it would counter any threat from the North with "fire and fury".

The release came a day after Canadian officials said a delegation led by the country's national security adviser had travelled to North Korea to discuss the case of Hyeon Soo Lim, sentenced to hard labour for life in December 2015.

North Korea had accused Lim, who served in one of the largest churches in Canada, of attempting to overthrow the regime.

"Rim Hyon Su, a Canadian civilian, was released on sick bail according to the decision of the Central Court of the DPRK on August 9, 2017, from the humanitarian viewpoint," KCNA said, using the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

There was no obvious direct connection between the release and the standoff with the United States, but North Korea has in the past attracted the attention of Washington, and visits by high-profile Americans, with the detention and release of U.S. citizens.

Lim's family had become more concerned for his welfare since the death in June of American student Otto Warmbier, who had been held in North Korea for 17 months.

Warmbier, sentenced last year to 15 years' hard labour for trying to steal a propaganda item from his hotel during a tour, died in a Cincinnati hospital just days after being released in a coma. The circumstances of his death remain unclear.

North Korea is still holding three Americans. The U.S. State Department said last week it would ban U.S. nationals from travelling to the isolated country, beginning in September.

Lim's Toronto-area church has said he visited the North more than 100 times since 1997 and helped set up an orphanage and nursing home. Last year, Lim told CNN he spent eight hours a day digging holes at a labour camp where he had not seen any other prisoners.

On Wednesday, North Korea said it was considering plans for a missile strike on the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, just hours after President Donald Trump told the North that any threat to the United States would be met with "fire and fury". </s> North Korea has freed a South Korea-born Canadian pastor serving a life sentence on humanitarian grounds, the official KCNA news agency says, right after the United States warned it would counter any threat from Pyongyang with "fire and fury".

The release came a day after Canadian officials said a delegation led by the country's national security adviser had travelled to North Korea to discuss the case of Hyeon Soo Lim, sentenced to hard labour for life in December 2015.

North Korea had accused Mr Lim — who is also known as Rim Hyon Su and who served in one of the largest churches in Canada — of attempting to overthrow the regime.

There was no obvious direct connection between the release and the standoff with the United States, but North Korea has in the past attracted the attention of Washington with the detention and release of US citizens.

Mr Lim's family had become more concerned for his welfare since the death in June of American student Otto Warmbier, who had been held in North Korea for 17 months.

Warmbier, sentenced last year to 15 years' hard labour for trying to steal a propaganda item from his hotel during a tour, died in a Cincinnati hospital just days after being released in a coma — the circumstances of his death remain unclear.

North Korea is still holding three Americans.

The US State Department said last week it would ban US nationals from travelling to the isolated country starting in September.

Mr Lim's Toronto-area church said he had visited the North more than 100 times since 1997 and helped set up an orphanage and nursing home.

Last year, Mr Lim told CNN he spent eight hours a day digging holes at a labour camp where he had not seen any other prisoners.

On Wednesday, North Korea said it was considering plans for a missile strike on the US Pacific territory of Guam, just hours after President Donald Trump said that any threat to the United States would be met with "fire and fury". </s> BEIJING/SEOU - North Korea freed a Canadian pastor serving a life sentence there on humanitarian grounds, the official KCNA news agency said on Wednesday, just hours after the United States warned it would counter any threat from the North with "fire and fury".

The release came a day after Canadian officials said a delegation led by the country's national security adviser had travelled to North Korea to discuss the case of Hyeon Soo Lim, sentenced to hard labour for life in December 2015.

North Korea had accused Lim, who served in one of the largest churches in Canada, of attempting to overthrow the regime.

"Rim Hyon Su, a Canadian civilian, was released on sick bail according to the decision of the Central Court of the DPRK on August 9, 2017, from the humanitarian viewpoint," KCNA said, using the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

There was no obvious direct connection between the release and the standoff with the United States, but North Korea has in the past attracted the attention of Washington, and visits by high-profile Americans, with the detention and release of U.S. citizens.

Lim's family had become more concerned for his welfare since the death in June of American student Otto Warmbier, who had been held in North Korea for 17 months.

Warmbier, sentenced last year to 15 years' hard labour for trying to steal a propaganda item from his hotel during a tour, died in a Cincinnati hospital just days after being released in a coma. The circumstances of his death remain unclear.

North Korea is still holding three Americans. The U.S. State Department said last week it would ban U.S. nationals from travelling to the isolated country, beginning in September.

Lim's Toronto-area church has said he visited the North more than 100 times since 1997 and helped set up an orphanage and nursing home. Last year, Lim told CNN he spent eight hours a day digging holes at a labour camp where he had not seen any other prisoners.

On Wednesday, North Korea said it was considering plans for a missile strike on the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, just hours after President Donald Trump told the North that any threat to the United States would be met with "fire and fury." </s> BEIJING/SEOUL, Aug 9 (Reuters) - North Korea freed a Canadian pastor serving a life sentence there on humanitarian grounds, the official KCNA news agency said on Wednesday, just hours after the United States warned it would counter any threat from the North with "fire and fury".

The release came a day after Canadian officials said a delegation led by the country's national security adviser had travelled to North Korea to discuss the case of Hyeon Soo Lim, sentenced to hard labour for life in December 2015.

North Korea had accused Lim, who served in one of the largest churches in Canada, of attempting to overthrow the regime.

"Rim Hyon Su, a Canadian civilian, was released on sick bail according to the decision of the Central Court of the DPRK on August 9, 2017, from the humanitarian viewpoint," KCNA said, using the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

There was no obvious direct connection between the release and the standoff with the United States, but North Korea has in the past attracted the attention of Washington, and visits by high-profile Americans, with the detention and release of U.S. citizens.

Lim's family had become more concerned for his welfare since the death in June of American student Otto Warmbier, who had been held in North Korea for 17 months.

Warmbier, sentenced last year to 15 years' hard labour for trying to steal a propaganda item from his hotel during a tour, died in a Cincinnati hospital just days after being released in a coma. The circumstances of his death remain unclear.

North Korea is still holding three Americans. The U.S. State Department said last week it would ban U.S. nationals from travelling to the isolated country, beginning in September.

Lim's Toronto-area church has said he visited the North more than 100 times since 1997 and helped set up an orphanage and nursing home. Last year, Lim told CNN he spent eight hours a day digging holes at a labour camp where he had not seen any other prisoners.

On Wednesday, North Korea said it was considering plans for a missile strike on the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, just hours after President Donald Trump told the North that any threat to the United States would be met with "fire and fury". (Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Soyoung Kim,; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Nick Macfie) </s> While Donald Trump on Tuesday escalated tensions between with North Korea by promising the United States will bring “fire and fury” to the rogue nuclear power, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dispatched national security adviser Daniel Jean to Pyongyang, CNN reports.

According to Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Jean and his entourage arrived early Tuesday afternoon. Officials declined to discuss the nature of Jean’s visit, but reports indicate he is seeking the release of Toronto Presbyterian minister Rev. Hyeon Soo Lim, who’s been held in North Korea for the last two years.

Lim’s family has reportedly been seeking his release since the nation allowed American student Otto Warmbier to return in June. Warmbier arrived to the U.S. in a vegetative state and died six days after his release.

“Obviously, Pastor Lim’s health and well-being remain of utmost importance to the government of Canada and we are continuing to engage on his case,” Trudeau’s media relations manager Cameron Ahmad in a statement.

“As this is an active case, we will not provide any further comment,” he added.

A senior government official told CBC News while the primary focus of Jean’s visit is securing Lim’s release, the envoy is also able to “discuss other issues of regional concern.” </s> While U.S. President Donald Trump was threatening North Korea with “fire and fury” as tensions between the two countries escalated Tuesday night, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was taking a quieter line with Pyongyang—with great effect. His envoy achieved Canada's objective to secure the release of one of its citizens held in North Korea for the past two and a half years.

State-controlled news agency KCNA announced Tuesday that North Korea's top court was releasing Toronto Presbyterian pastor Hyeon Soo Lim "on sick bail" for "humanitarian" reasons, as reported by Reuters.

Canadian officials had notified Lim's son James over the weekend that the country would send a delegation to North Korea—including Daniel Jean, the prime minister's national security adviser, and a doctor—with a letter to North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un, a family spokesperson told CNN.

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The Canadian delegation's arrival in Pyongyang was officially confirmed on Tuesday. "[Lim's] health and well-being remain of utmost importance to the government, and we are obviously continuing to engage on his case, and given that it is an active case, we cannot provide any further comment at this time," Trudeau's press secretary Cameron Ahmad told journalists.

North Korea sentenced the 62-year old pastor to hard labor for life in December 2015, after he was accused of attempting to overthrow Kim's regime. His family said he had been traveling to and from North Korea on humanitarian trips to establish orphanages, nurseries and nursing homes and had visited the country more than 100 times in the past 20 years.

CNN interviewed the pastor in January 2016, finding he was forced to work eight hours a day, six days a week, in a camp where he had never seen another inmate. "Nobody knows if I will ever go home, but that is my hope. I miss my family. I am longing to see them again, and my congregation," he told the American broadcaster.

After the death of Otto Warmbier in June, an American citizen detained in North Korea and only released when he had already suffered brain damage, Trudeau has faced increased calls to pressure Pyongyang to free the Canadian minister.

But Lim isn’t the only point of concern for Trudeau in dealing with North Korea, whose aim to develop nuclear missiles capable of reaching across the Pacific has Canadians worried they are in range. Trudeau addressed the concerns over Kim's ambitions and repeated missile tests in violation of U.N. rules in April.

“A nuclear power like North Korea that has shown a level of irresponsibility,” he said, pausing for several seconds as he searched for the right words, finally continuing, “fundamental irresponsibility—to not to use a word like crazy, which I will not use—is a real concern.”

He then added, Canada would “do whatever we can to ameliorate and defuse the situation with North Korea.” </s> recently detained a US citizen, officials said today, in the latest case of an American being held in the country.

 

 The Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang said it was aware of a being detained recently, but could not comment further. The embassy looks after consular affairs for the US in because the two countries do not have diplomatic relations.

South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, citing unnamed sources, reported that a Korean-American man was arrested Friday at Pyongyang's airport while trying to leave It said the man, in his late 50s and identified by his surname, Kim, has been involved in aid and relief programs to and was a former professor at the Yanbian University of Science and Technology in China.South Korea's Unification Ministry and its intelligence agency both said they were unable to confirm the report.At least two other Americans are currently detained in Last year, Otto Warmbier, then a 21-year-old University of Virginia student from suburban Cincinnati, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in prison after he confessed to trying to steal a propaganda banner. Kim Dong Chul, who was born in South Korea but is also believed to have US citizenship, is serving a sentence of 10 years for espionage.At least one other foreigner, a Canadian pastor, is also being detained in Hyeon Soo Lim, a South Korean- born Canadian citizen in his 60s, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 2015 on charges of trying to use religion to destroy the North Korean system and helping US and South Korean authorities lure and abduct North Korean citizens.
North Korea releases imprisoned Canadian pastor Hyeon Soo Lim on "sick bail."