Carter negotiates release of American from N. Korea
SEOUL, South Korea -- Former President Jimmy Carter has managed to secure the release of an American in North Korea. The man, who originates from Boston, had been held in North Korea, a communist country, since January of 2010.
Former President Carter has secured the man's freedom through negotiation.
Deanna Congileo, who is a spokesperson for Jimmy Carter, says that Carter will come back to the US accompanied by Aijalon Gomes.
Gomes will be in Boston on Friday. Jimmy Carter has already left Pyongyang on his way back, says San Francisco news station KTVU.
See slide show here of North Korea and the ship sinking incident
The negotiation trip carried out by Carter was a private humanitarian one.
Gomes had been convicted of entering North Korea illegally and had previously been in China. Gomes' sentence was set at hard labor for eight years.
Gomes allegedly crossed into North Korea in January. It is believed he went there on a one-man peace mission.
Gomes was seen by a US official and two doctors in a hospital in Pyongyang earlier in August. North Korea stated that Mr Gomes had tried to end his life previously, said the BBC.
Gomes' release had come about as a humanitarian step taken by North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il.
There is current tension between North Korea and the outside world, in the wake of the sinking of a South Korean warship, says the BBC.
San Francisco residents can follow this and other news by watching KTVU Channel 2 news. The news comes on at 5pm, 6pm and 10pm.
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