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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| N Korea 'to release Australian missionary' | N Korea 'to release Australian missionary' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| North Korea has said it will release and deport an Australian missionary held since last month for allegedly distributing religious materials. | |
| John Short, 75, entered Pyongyang on a group tour and was detained after apparently leaving Christian pamphlets at a tourist site. | John Short, 75, entered Pyongyang on a group tour and was detained after apparently leaving Christian pamphlets at a tourist site. |
| The North's state-run KCNA news agency said he had admitted breaking North Korean law and apologised. | The North's state-run KCNA news agency said he had admitted breaking North Korean law and apologised. |
| It said he was being released partly in consideration of his age. | It said he was being released partly in consideration of his age. |
| Religious activity is severely restricted in the North and missionaries have been arrested on many previous occasions. | |
| "Short acknowledged that his actions were... unforgivable crimes in violation of our laws, offered an apology and begged for forgiveness," KCNA reported. | |
| It also said that Mr Short had distributed religious material on a busy underground train in Pyongyang during a previous tour in August 2012. | |
| Mr Short, who is based in Hong Kong, was arrested at his hotel in Pyongyang last month. | Mr Short, who is based in Hong Kong, was arrested at his hotel in Pyongyang last month. |
| Australia's foreign ministry said last week it had no information on his whereabouts or the conditions in which he was being held. | Australia's foreign ministry said last week it had no information on his whereabouts or the conditions in which he was being held. |
| Australia does not have a diplomatic mission in Pyongyang and is represented there by the Swedish embassy. | |
| Last week, detained South Korean missionary Kim Jong-uk appeared before media in North Korea to read from a statement publicly apologising for "anti-state crimes". | |
| Mr Kim, 50, who is a Baptist, said he was arrested after entering North Korea from China in October with religious material. | |
| He said he was unsure of his punishment and asked to be released. |