No. Korea frees American

This item appears on page 69 of the December 2014 issue.

American Jeffrey Fowle, imprisoned in North Korea since early June 2014, was released on Oct. 21. Fowle had been arrested for “anti-state” crimes as he tried to leave the country. He is reported to have left a Bible in a restaurant or hotel room. Attempting to spread religion is a crime in North Korea. 

American Kenneth Bae, currently serving 15 years of hard labor in North Korea, was arrested in 2013 for crimes against the state while working as a Christian missionary.

One other American, Matthew Todd Miller, arrested in April 2014 after tearing up his visa and demanding political asylum, was sentenced to six years’ hard labor on Sept. 14.