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NKorea releases two US reporters

Wednesday, August 05, 2009 SEOUL: Former president Bill Clinton Wednesday secured the release of two female US journalists jailed in North Korea after a surprise mercy dash to meet veteran communist leader Kim Jong-Il in Pyongyang. North Korea said Clinton delivered a special message to Kim from US President Barack Obama during his historic trip, which followed acute tensions over the North's nuclear and missile tests, but the White House denied this. Kim agreed to pardon TV reporters Laura Ling and Euna Lee after Clinton "expressed words of sincere apology" for their "hostile acts", the official News Agency reported. After Kim issued his pardon, Clinton "courteously conveyed a verbal message of US President Barack Obama expressing profound thanks for this and reflecting views on ways of improving the relations between the two countries". "The measure taken to release the American journalists is a manifestation of the DPRK's (North Korea's) humanitarian and peace-loving policy," agency added. It said the Pyongyang meetings, which included a dinner in honour of Clinton, "reached a consensus of views on seeking a negotiated settlement" of "pending issues" dividing the United States and North Korea.
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