By Bomi Lim Feb. 5 (Bloomberg) — North Korea said it will release an American missionary who was detained in December for illegal entry, an indication the communist country is seeking to maintain improved relations with the U.S. North Korea decided to release Robert Park after his “sincere repentance of his wrongdoings,” the state-run Korean Central News Agency said today. Park was detained on Dec. 24 for illegally crossing into the country from China, KCNA said on Dec. 29. No details were given on his release. Park’s release came after U.S. President Barack Obama two days ago decided to keep North Korea off the government’s list of states that sponsor terrorism. North Korean leader Kim Jong Il left open the possibility of a possible return to six-nation nuclear disarmament talks after U.S. envoy Stephen Bosworth traveled to Pyongyang in December. The United Nations has described Park as an American missionary who entered North Korea to protest the country’s prison system. The country is holding another American, who KCNA has said was detained on Jan. 25 for illegal entry. The second detainee’s identity remains unknown. KCNA issued a statement from Park saying: “I seriously repented of the wrong I committed.” Thawing Relations Former U.S. President Bill Clinton traveled to Pyongyang in August to secure the release of two American journalists who were arrested in March 2009 near the border with China. Clinton’s trip, which included a meeting with Kim, helped thaw relations between North Korea and the U.S., leading to Bosworth’s visit. Kim’s regime remains under UN Security Council sanctions for carrying out tests of missiles and nuclear devices in 2009. North Korea has said it won’t return to the six-party talks aimed at getting the country to abandon its nuclear program until the sanctions are lifted, something the Obama administration has ruled out. North Korea doesn’t meet the criteria for being included on the U.S. government’s list of states sponsoring terrorism, Obama wrote in a letter to congressional leaders on Feb. 3. Inclusion automatically imposes sanctions. North Korea, which had been on the list since 1988, was removed in 2008 after it agreed to inspection of sites suspected of being part of a nuclear program. To contact the reporter on this story: Bomi Lim in Seoul at blim30@bloomberg.net
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North Korea to Release American Missionary in Sign of Improved Relations
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