According to a report from the Yonhap News Agency, three American hostages in North Korea are expected to be released and sent back to the U.S. with newly-appointed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday.
An official from Seoul’s presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, speaking under the condition of anonymity, told the South Korean paper that the release of the imprisoned American citizens is “an apparent goodwill gesture” before the historic meeting with North Korean despot Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump set for this summer to discuss the veracity of North Korea’s supposed openness to denuclearize.
“The official said U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was expected to return with the exact time of the Trump-Kim summit, along with the three U.S. captives in North Korea,” says the paper.
“We expect him to bring the date, time and the captives,” noted the official.
As noted by The Blaze, “Other reports have indicated that the three Americans, Kim Hak-Song, Tony Kim and Kim Dong-Chul, have been moved from labor camps and are being prepared for possible release.”
President Trump already announced the potential release of the captives via Twitter. “As everybody is aware, the past Administration has long been asking for three hostages to be released from a North Korean Labor camp, but to no avail,” the president posted, last week. “Stay tuned!” he added.
Two of the three hostages, though, were captured during Mr. Trump’s time in office, not former President Barack Obama’s.
Pompeo is currently in Pyongyang, his second reported trip to North Korea in less than a month.
Trump confirmed the report via Twitter on Wednesday morning: