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Alek Sigley, Australian Student, Is Freed From Detention in North Korea Alek Sigley, Australian Student, Is Freed From Detention in North Korea
(about 16 hours later)
SYDNEY, Australia — An Australian student at a North Korean university whose family lost contact with him last week was freed from detention on Thursday by the North after Swedish officials took up his plight with Kim Jong-un’s government.SYDNEY, Australia — An Australian student at a North Korean university whose family lost contact with him last week was freed from detention on Thursday by the North after Swedish officials took up his plight with Kim Jong-un’s government.
Fears about the fate of Alek Sigley, 29, who was pursuing a master’s degree in Korean literature at Kim Il-sung University in Pyongyang, had grown after he went silent on social media on June 25 and the North Korean government said nothing publicly about him.Fears about the fate of Alek Sigley, 29, who was pursuing a master’s degree in Korean literature at Kim Il-sung University in Pyongyang, had grown after he went silent on social media on June 25 and the North Korean government said nothing publicly about him.
His family, working with Australian officials, had been urgently seeking information about his whereabouts and welfare. After South Korean news outlets, citing anonymous sources, reported that Mr. Sigley had been detained, there were worries that he might be facing harsh conditions in the North’s prison system. In 2017, an American student, Otto F. Warmbier, died after falling into a coma while being detained in North Korea.His family, working with Australian officials, had been urgently seeking information about his whereabouts and welfare. After South Korean news outlets, citing anonymous sources, reported that Mr. Sigley had been detained, there were worries that he might be facing harsh conditions in the North’s prison system. In 2017, an American student, Otto F. Warmbier, died after falling into a coma while being detained in North Korea.
But on Thursday, Mr. Sigley emerged at Beijing’s international airport smiling and saying, “I’m O.K., I’m good,” while declining to address a reporter’s question about why he had been detained.But on Thursday, Mr. Sigley emerged at Beijing’s international airport smiling and saying, “I’m O.K., I’m good,” while declining to address a reporter’s question about why he had been detained.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia first announced Mr. Sigley’s release during a session of Parliament. He credited the intervention of the Swedish officials, saying they had raised the issue of Mr. Sigley’s disappearance on Wednesday on Australia’s behalf. Mr. Sigley was released on Thursday morning, the prime minister said.Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia first announced Mr. Sigley’s release during a session of Parliament. He credited the intervention of the Swedish officials, saying they had raised the issue of Mr. Sigley’s disappearance on Wednesday on Australia’s behalf. Mr. Sigley was released on Thursday morning, the prime minister said.
“Alek is safe and well,” Mr. Morrison said. He added: “This outcome demonstrates the value of discreet behind-the-scenes work of officials in resolving complex and sensitive consulate cases in close partnership with other governments. I’m sure we all could not be more pleased that we not only know where Alek is but that we know he is safe.”“Alek is safe and well,” Mr. Morrison said. He added: “This outcome demonstrates the value of discreet behind-the-scenes work of officials in resolving complex and sensitive consulate cases in close partnership with other governments. I’m sure we all could not be more pleased that we not only know where Alek is but that we know he is safe.”
Mr. Sigley traveled to Japan where he reunited with his wife, Yuka, in Tokyo, and said on Friday that he intended to “return to normal life.”
In a statement he thanked Australian officials and people “whose names I don’t know” who worked for his release. He also thanked the Swedish special envoy to North Korea, Kent Rolf Magnus Harstedt, who interceded on his behalf with North Korean authorities to free him.
Mr. Sigley was a rare Westerner who embraced life in North Korea, offering a revealing look at his days inside the reclusive North in frequent posts on social media that included images of local cuisine, restaurants and shops.Mr. Sigley was a rare Westerner who embraced life in North Korea, offering a revealing look at his days inside the reclusive North in frequent posts on social media that included images of local cuisine, restaurants and shops.
He described himself as the son of an “Anglo-Aussie Sinologist” and a Shanghainese mother, and said that his fascination with North Korea began after he befriended students from the North while at college in Shanghai.He described himself as the son of an “Anglo-Aussie Sinologist” and a Shanghainese mother, and said that his fascination with North Korea began after he befriended students from the North while at college in Shanghai.
His family called him a “scholar and traveler” who has “visited, studied and lived in several countries in Asia” and is fluent in Mandarin and Korean.His family called him a “scholar and traveler” who has “visited, studied and lived in several countries in Asia” and is fluent in Mandarin and Korean.
Mr. Sigley wrote that he was careful not to comment on politics in North Korea, but he did recount what it was like to be in Pyongyang during President Trump’s summit with Kim Jong-un in Singapore in June last year.Mr. Sigley wrote that he was careful not to comment on politics in North Korea, but he did recount what it was like to be in Pyongyang during President Trump’s summit with Kim Jong-un in Singapore in June last year.
Western visitors to North Korea are extremely few, and some have been arrested for seemingly minor infractions and given draconian sentences.Western visitors to North Korea are extremely few, and some have been arrested for seemingly minor infractions and given draconian sentences.
Among the many posts from North Korea on his Facebook page, Mr. Sigley had published photos of an event that the Swedish Embassy had hosted for foreign students. Sweden has played a unique diplomatic role in North Korea since it became the first Western European nation to establish diplomatic relations with Pyongyang, setting up an embassy in the capital in 1975.Among the many posts from North Korea on his Facebook page, Mr. Sigley had published photos of an event that the Swedish Embassy had hosted for foreign students. Sweden has played a unique diplomatic role in North Korea since it became the first Western European nation to establish diplomatic relations with Pyongyang, setting up an embassy in the capital in 1975.
As a member of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission, set up to oversee the armistice that ended combat in the Korean War, Sweden hosts and sponsors talks and distributes aid through the United Nations and the Red Cross. Its diplomats have worked on behalf of other nations to free detained citizens, including Mr. Warmbier.As a member of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission, set up to oversee the armistice that ended combat in the Korean War, Sweden hosts and sponsors talks and distributes aid through the United Nations and the Red Cross. Its diplomats have worked on behalf of other nations to free detained citizens, including Mr. Warmbier.