WASHINGTON — The mother of Kenneth Bae, the American man imprisoned in North Korea, is in North Korea to visit him, according to a press release sent out by the Bae family.
In a statement, Myunghee Bae describes the visit:
I am on my way to visit my son, Kenneth Bae, in the DPRK. I am grateful to the DPRK authorities for granting this visit.
It's hard to describe the agony of the past year since my son has been imprisoned in the DPRK. I spend every day thinking about him and praying for his homecoming. I miss him so much! And I worry endlessly about his health and want to see and check his condition with my own eyes.
I don't really know what to expect for my trip. All I know is that I want to see my son.
Thank you for all the prayers and support. Please keep praying for us and spreading the word about Kenneth's plight.
Bae has been imprisoned in North Korea since last November and was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in May for "hostile acts" against the government. North Korea kept out a State Department envoy who was set to try and negotiate his release, and others who have suggested they might help, like former NBA star Dennis Rodman, have not ended up doing so.