WASHINGTON: The US on Wednesday said it was gravely concerned about the health of a Korean-American sentenced to hard labour in North Korea who pleaded for help in a rare TV interview.
And the State Department renewed appeals to Pyongyang to grant Kenneth Bae amnesty and free him immediately.
In an interview, Bae appealed to the US to secure his early release, saying he has been in poor health.
“I ask the US government for help and hope it will make more efforts for my return at an early date,” tour operator Kenneth Bae said in an interview with the Chosun Sinbo, a pro-Pyongyang newspaper published in Japan.
Bae said he had been in poor health since he was sent to a special prison in May.
“We have seen the interview footage of Mr Bae. It’s clear that his health is deteriorating which is of course of grave concern to all of us,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. “We urge, and have urged many times, North Korean authorities to grant Mr Bae amnesty and immediate release.”
She said the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang, which acts on behalf of the US in consular matters, had not been granted access to Bae since May 21. Bae, whose Korean name is Pae Jun-Ho, was arrested in November as he entered the northeastern North Korean port city of Rason. He was sentenced to 15 years for subversion and began serving time on May 14. Agencies
