A Canadian pastor sentenced by North Korea to hard labour for “hostile acts” has been released and is on his way home.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed yesterday as he thanked Sweden for its role in helping to secure his freedom.
Lim Hyeon-soo, a 62-year-old Canadian citizen born in South Korea, was released after a Canadian government delegation travelled to Pyongyang to discuss his case.
He was released on bail on Wednesday on health grounds following a decision by the North Korean Central Court in Pyongyang, state-run news site Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.
“Today, I am pleased and relieved to confirm that pastor Lim has been released from jail in North Korea and that he will soon be reunited with his family and friends in Canada,” Trudeau said. “The government of Canada was actively engaged on Mr Lim’s case at all levels. In particular, I want to thank Sweden, our protecting power in North Korea, for assisting us.”
Lim, who had travelled to North Korea dozens of times since 1997, was on a humanitarian aid mission when he was arrested in January 2015 shortly after entering the country.
He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison and hard labour.
The Lim family spokesperson Lisa Pak told CBC News that the family is grateful to the Canadian government and the Swedish embassy in North Korea for working behind the scenes to secure the pastor’s freedom.
Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister Margot Wallstrom tweeted she was glad Sweden could assist.
Canada has no diplomatic representation in Pyongyang and Sweden acts as its “protecting power” when it comes to consular issues affecting Canadians in North Korea.
Officials in the Prime Minister’s Office did not confirm any additional details about Lim’s release or when he is expected to be back on Canadian soil.
“Pastor Lim’s health and well-being remain of utmost importance to the Government of Canada, and we are working to ensure that he receives any required medical attention,” Trudeau said.
“Operational security considerations prevent us from discussing the matter further,” he added, asking the media to respect the family’s privacy.
Lim’s release came after Trudeau dispatched Daniel Jean, his national security and intelligence adviser, to the North Korean capital to discuss the pastor’s case.
Jean’s mission to Pyongyang was an exceptional step given the state of diplomatic relations between Canada and North Korea, and the escalating tensions between the North and the US.
Pyongyang’s already strained relations with Washington spiked to new levels of hostility on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump threatened to unleash “fire and fury” if North Korea continued its provocations.
The North responded on Wednesday with its own threats, saying that it had been drawing up plans for a missile strike against the Pacific island of Guam, which is home to US military bases, strategic bombers and about 163,000 people (see report on Page 6).