North Korea, it seems, is trying to send signals to America that it is ready to release U.S. citizen Kenneth Bae, who was convicted on charges of planning to overthrow the government, former envoy to the country said.
Washington's former top negotiator with North Korea Joseph DeTrani said that Bae's press conference with foreign media shows that the North Koreans were inviting an American push for his release, and want an envoy to visit Pyongyang, the Washington Times reports.
The State Department is likely now working the diplomatic back channel to Pyongyang through North Korea's representatives at the United Nations in New York, DeTrani said.
Bae was sentenced to hard labor more than a year ago after being convicted of crimes against state.
