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| Freed by North Korea, War Veteran Heads Back to U.S. | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| HONG KONG — An American veteran who had been held prisoner in North Korea for more than a month was headed back home to the United States on Saturday after his release by the government, which cited his “sincere repentance” for his acts during Korean War. | |
| Merrill Newman, 85, of Palo Alto, Calif., took a flight from Beijing back to the United States after rejecting an offer from Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. to travel on Air Force Two on Mr. Biden’s later flight from Seoul. Mr. Newman’s plane was scheduled to arrive in San Francisco International Airport at 9:05 a.m. local time Saturday. | Merrill Newman, 85, of Palo Alto, Calif., took a flight from Beijing back to the United States after rejecting an offer from Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. to travel on Air Force Two on Mr. Biden’s later flight from Seoul. Mr. Newman’s plane was scheduled to arrive in San Francisco International Airport at 9:05 a.m. local time Saturday. |
| “I feel good,” Mr. Newman told reporters at the airport in Beijing, according the The Associated Press. | |
| “I am very glad to be on my way home,” he said, praising North Korean officials “for the tolerance the government has given me to be on my way.” | |
| North Korea’s action came after Mr. Newman read a stilted “apology” a week earlier in which he expressed regret for his actions during the war. While serving in Korea, Mr. Newman helped train anti-Communist guerrillas, working with a unit that was particularly despised by Pyongyang for its daring raids on North Korean territory. With this trip back there, he was reconnecting with a place that figured so much in his past, but as he was leaving the country Oct. 28 he was pulled of his plane by North Korean officers as it prepared to take off. | |
| On Saturday morning, American Embassy officials met Mr. Newman when he landed at Beijing Airport on a flight from Pyongyang, and they bought a ticket for him to fly back to San Francisco Saturday afternoon. An embassy medical officer also brought a supply of Mr. Newman’s medications to him and confirmed he was well enough to fly back to the United States. | |
| Mr. Biden, who was in Seoul meeting South Korean leaders when Mr. Newman was released, praised North Korea’s decision to set him free, calling it “a positive thing.” | |
| “I offered him a ride home on Air Force Two, but as he pointed out, there’s a direct flight to San Francisco, his home,” Mr. Biden said, later clarifying that he did not talk to Mr. Newman directly. “I don’t blame him. I’d be on that flight too.” | “I offered him a ride home on Air Force Two, but as he pointed out, there’s a direct flight to San Francisco, his home,” Mr. Biden said, later clarifying that he did not talk to Mr. Newman directly. “I don’t blame him. I’d be on that flight too.” |
| Mr. Biden also reminded reporters that North Korea continues to hold Kenneth Bae, a Christian missionary who was sentenced in May to 15 years of hard labor for committing “hostile acts” against the North. Mr. Bae had entered North Korea from China to lead a tour group of businessmen. | Mr. Biden also reminded reporters that North Korea continues to hold Kenneth Bae, a Christian missionary who was sentenced in May to 15 years of hard labor for committing “hostile acts” against the North. Mr. Bae had entered North Korea from China to lead a tour group of businessmen. |
| Mr. Bae’s family issued a statement welcoming the news of Mr. Newman’s departure from North Korea, expressing both their excitement about the North Korean government’s gesture and anxiety about the fate of Mr. Bae, who has been suffering from numerous health problems during his incarceration, including diabetes, kidney stones and back pain. He has lost more than 50 pounds, according to his sister, Terri Chung. | |
| “We are pleased to hear that Mr. Newman was released,” the statement read. “We have been praying for him and are very happy that his family will have him at the head of their table for the holidays. We believe that our Kenneth should also come home soon.” | |
| The statement also said, “We have faith in our government to bring Kenneth home, and we dearly wish that we will also have joyful holidays with Kenneth.” | |
| In recent years, North Korea has detained several Americans, usually agreeing to let them go only after high-profile American figures visited Pyongyang to seek their release. North Korea’s state propagandists later described such visits as American capitulation before its leaders, according to North Korean defectors. Analysts suspect North Korea tries to use such arrests to counter Washington’s diplomatic pressure over its nuclear and missile programs and force it to engage with the regime. | In recent years, North Korea has detained several Americans, usually agreeing to let them go only after high-profile American figures visited Pyongyang to seek their release. North Korea’s state propagandists later described such visits as American capitulation before its leaders, according to North Korean defectors. Analysts suspect North Korea tries to use such arrests to counter Washington’s diplomatic pressure over its nuclear and missile programs and force it to engage with the regime. |
| In 2009, North Korea arrested two American journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, and sentenced them to 12 years of hard labor for illegally entering the North. But the women were pardoned and released five months later, after former President Bill Clinton visited Pyongyang and met with the North’s then-leader, Kim Jong-il. In 2010, Aijalon Mahli Gomes, another American held in the North for “hostile acts,” was freed after former President Jimmy Carter visited Pyongyang and, according to North Korea, “apologized” for the man’s crime. | In 2009, North Korea arrested two American journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, and sentenced them to 12 years of hard labor for illegally entering the North. But the women were pardoned and released five months later, after former President Bill Clinton visited Pyongyang and met with the North’s then-leader, Kim Jong-il. In 2010, Aijalon Mahli Gomes, another American held in the North for “hostile acts,” was freed after former President Jimmy Carter visited Pyongyang and, according to North Korea, “apologized” for the man’s crime. |
| “I think Mr. Newman’s old age was a key reason North Korea released him,” said Kim Yong-hyun, a North Korea specialist at Dongguk University in Seoul. “It has likely realized that it cannot hold such an old man too long without getting international condemnation.” | “I think Mr. Newman’s old age was a key reason North Korea released him,” said Kim Yong-hyun, a North Korea specialist at Dongguk University in Seoul. “It has likely realized that it cannot hold such an old man too long without getting international condemnation.” |
| “It also wanted to show to the outside world that it could be flexible and respected humanitarian concerns,” he added. | “It also wanted to show to the outside world that it could be flexible and respected humanitarian concerns,” he added. |
| Following months of heightened tensions in the wake of North Korea’s nuclear test in February and ensuing United Nations sanctions, Pyongyang has recently tried to force the United States and its allies to engage it with a new round of multilateral talks over its nuclear weapons program. Analysts, however, said it was unlikely that Mr. Newman’s release will lead Washington to ease its strict conditions for returning to such talks. | Following months of heightened tensions in the wake of North Korea’s nuclear test in February and ensuing United Nations sanctions, Pyongyang has recently tried to force the United States and its allies to engage it with a new round of multilateral talks over its nuclear weapons program. Analysts, however, said it was unlikely that Mr. Newman’s release will lead Washington to ease its strict conditions for returning to such talks. |
| Mr. Kim, the Dongguk analyst, said there were reasons North Korea was tougher on Mr. Bae than Mr. Newman. Mr. Bae was accused of trying to spread Christianity inside the isolated country. The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, considers Christianity and other influences from the outside world a growing threat to his efforts to keep his people isolated and ideologically untainted and has ordered its government to root it out, South Korean intelligence officials said. | |
Gerry Mullany reported from Hong Kong, and Choe Sang-hun reported from Seoul, South Korea. Jane Perlez contributed reporting from Beijing. | Gerry Mullany reported from Hong Kong, and Choe Sang-hun reported from Seoul, South Korea. Jane Perlez contributed reporting from Beijing. |