The Pentagon says three Americans released by North Korea have left a Washington-area hospital and have reunited with their families. A Pentagon spokeswoman, Maj. Carla M. Gleason, says in a statement that the men “were grateful, in good spirits and coping well.”
North Korea released them last week while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in Pyongyang to help set up next month’s summit between President Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.
Pompeo told CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday that the U.S. “didn’t exchange anything” for the detainees.
“They came back because Chairman Kim thought it was in his best interest to do so and we’re thankful for that,” Pompeo added.
The men received a hero’s welcome from Mr. Trump when they arrived back in the U.S. early Thursday and were then taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. There the Americans had “decompression time” where doctors helped them establish a routine, make sure they rest and eat well.
Gleason says they now “have been reunited with their families. Their time together has been an incredibly joyous occasion. They ask for privacy as they transition home.”
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