Imminent release of three US prisoners held in North Korea
The White House does not confirm, but defines the step "a sign of good will" ahead of the summit. North Korea is preparing to meet Trump and seek support from its Chinese ally. Wang Yi in Pyongyang: "strategic" alliance and economic support.
Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The release of three Americans of Korean descent held by Pyongyang would appear to be imminent, Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York, reports to Fox News.
At the moment the White House claims not to "be able to confirm the validity of any of these reports" but "would see the release of US citizens as a sign of good will", in view of the summit between Trump and Kim Jong-un.
The three are all of South Korean descent. Kim Dong-chul (see photo 2) is a missionary pastor arrested for proselytism in October 2015; Kim Sang-duk and Kim Hak-song are professors of science and technology at the University of Pyongyang, arrested last year for "hostile activities". Since yesterday, unconfirmed rumors have circulated that the three have been transferred from the labor camp where they were being held to a hotel near the capital.
Meanwhile, Pyongyang seeks to strengthen ties with its historic ally in Beijing, awaiting the meeting with US President Donald Trump. Today, Kim Jong-un welcomed Wang Yi (see photo 3), Chinese Foreign Minister, ensuring that it is the North’s "firm strategy" to establish a strong relationship with China. For its part, the Asian giant promises financial support. In recent months, the two countries have re-established friendly relations, after a period of tensions due to the Beijing decision to apply the punitive measures imposed on North Korea by the United Nations.
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12/02/2016 15:14
25/05/2018 10:03
