A Canadian pastor imprisoned in North Korea has been freed after two and a half years in detention.
Hyeon Soo Lim, North Korea’s longest-held western prisoner in decades, was “released on sick bail” Wednesday by the country’s top court for “humanitarian” reasons, state-run news agency KCNA said.
Lim was serving a life sentence of hard labor after being convicted of crimes against the state in December 2015. The 62-year-old’s health has deteriorated while in North Korean custody and the pastor has experienced “dramatic” weight loss.
The release was announced after President Donald Trump threatened North Korea with “fire and fury” if they went any further in their threats against the US.