Sweden helping negotiate release of Americans held in North Korea
Source: CNN
By Susannah Cullinane and Julia Jones, CNN
Updated 9:04 AM ET, Sun March 18, 2018
(CNN) - Sweden is helping negotiate the release of three Americans held captive in North Korea, sources with knowledge of the negotiations tell CNN.
American citizens Kim Hak-song, Kim Sang-duk, and Kim Dong Chul are being held by North Korean government.
North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho is in Stockholm for talks with his Swedish counterpart. Sources tell CNN that Sweden "engaged heavily" in the issue of the American detainees, and since Sweden is a protective power for the US, it also represents the country's interest in all talks with North Korea.
"Any movement on the issue of these detainees would be a huge deal for the US," one source with knowledge of negotiations said, adding that Sweden did not issue any ultimatum during the weekend talks; rather, they brought it up as something that would "move things in the right direction".
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/18/asia/north-korea-us-prisoners/index.html
