NewNorth Korea cancels invite for US envoy to discuss Bae's release
Pyongyang cancels meeting with ambassador Robert King for second time, US says, foiling efforts to secure freedom for jailed missionary
North Korea has rescinded an invitation for a senior US official to visit Pyongyang to seek the release of imprisoned US missionary Kenneth Bae, a State Department official said on Sunday, adding American civil rights activist Jesse Jackson had offered to go to Pyongyang to try to free Bae.
“We are deeply disappointed by the DPRK decision – for a second time – to rescind its invitation for Ambassador [Robert] King to travel to Pyongyang to discuss Kenneth Bae’s release. The DPRK announced publicly in May last year that it would not use the fate of Kenneth Bae as a political bargaining chip,” the official said.
“At the request of the Bae family, Reverend Jackson offered to travel to Pyongyang on a humanitarian mission focused on Bae’s release. We support the efforts of the Bae family and Reverend Jackson to bring Bae home,” the official said.
We are deeply disappointed ...The DPRK announced last year that it would not use the fate of Kenneth Bae as a political bargaining chip
The US official referred to US-South Korean military exercises, which the North opposes.
“We remind the DPRK that the US-ROK [Republic of Korea] military exercises are transparent, regularly scheduled, and defence-oriented. These exercises are in no way linked to Mr Bae’s case,” the official said.
“We again call on the DPRK to grant Bae special amnesty and immediate release as a humanitarian gesture so he may reunite with his family and seek medical care.”
The United States and South Korea will hold their annual joint military drills from February 24 to April 18, the combined forces command that oversees the allies said, adding it had notified Pyongyang of the plan.