The Clintons Team Up to Rescue Journalists Imprisoned in North Korea

It’s good to see Bill Clinton representing America on behalf of two female television journalists imprisoned in North Korea. Although a private mission, the former president is actually assisting his spouse, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has been working on the case for some time.

The NY Times’ Mark Landler and Peter Baker report:

WASHINGTON — Former President Bill Clinton landed in North Korea on Tuesday to negotiate the release of two American television journalists sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for illegally entering North Korean territory, according to a person briefed on the mission.

Mr. Clinton flew into Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, in an unmarked jet early Tuesday morning local time, Central TV, a North Korean station, reported. The White House confirmed the visit on Tuesday, but said it was a private, not public mission, and therefore that it could not comment on its details.

Television footage from Pyongyang showed Mr. Clinton being greeted at the airport by North Korean officials including the chief nuclear negotiator Kim Kye-gwan and Yang Hyong-sop, the vice parliamentary speaker. The footage showed him smiling and bowing as a young girl presented him with flowers.

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