North Korea Releases American Jeffrey Fowle - Detained For Leaving A Bible in His Hotel

The US State Department has confirmed that Jeffrey Fowle, one of three Americans being held in North Korea, has been released and is back home.

Jeffrey Fowle, a 56 year old street cleaner from Ohio, was detained in Pyonyang for leaving a bible in a public place. North Korea takes a hardline on religious freedoms and has zero tolerance for foreign Christian missionaries.


However, Fowle insists he was not prosetylizing and may have dropped the bible by mistake. He was identified and picked up at the airport because he had left his name, phone number and pictures of his family in the bible.


Jeffrey Fowle arrived in the US Tuesday after negotiators secured his release, said State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf. She added that the US is still trying to free two other Americans, Matthew Miller and Kenneth Bae.

According to the Guardian UK, the White House said they welcomed Fowle’s release and thanked Sweden for helping arrange his departure from North Korea.

The press secretary, Josh Earnest, however, declined to answer initial questions about the circumstances of his release and any possible negotiations.

He drew attention to two other Americans who continue to be hold by authorities, saying;

“We remain focused on the continued detention on Kenneth Bae and Matthew Miller.”