By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter

U.S. President Barack Obama said that he was ``extraordinarily relieved'' at the release and return of two American journalists from North Korea.

Obama's remarks came after Laura Ling, 32, and Euna Lee, 36, arrived at Bob Hope Airport near Los Angeles and reunited with their families prison ordeal. The two reporters sobbed with joy as they hugged their family members, international news agencies reported. The two arrived with former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

Clinton said in a statement: ``I am very happy that after this long ordeal, Laura Ling and Euna Lee are now home and reunited with their loved ones.''

``When their families, (former) Vice President (Al) Gore and the White House asked that I undertake this humanitarian mission, I agreed. I share a deep sense of relief with Laura and Euna and their families that they are safely home,'' he added.

Clinton is expected to give a direct debriefing to President Obama about his surprise visit to Pyongyang, during which he met the ailing North Korean leader Kim Jong-il for the release of the two journalists.

The two journalists had been detained in North Korea after the country's leader Kim Jong-il granted special pardons to the women. The two had been sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for ``hostile acts.''

After having "in-depth discussions" and a banquet with the former U.S. leader, Kim pardoned the "convicted" journalists, who had been held in the secretive state for about five months, according to North Korean media.

Earlier Clinton's spokesman Matt McKenna confirmed through an e-mail statement that Clinton had "safely left North Korea with Laura Ling and Euna Lee" and was "en route to Los Angeles where Laura and Euna will be reunited with their families."

Video footage released by North Korea showed Lee and Ling, both reporters from Current TV, stepping onto a chartered flight with Clinton.
Dressed in short-sleeved shirts and jeans, they looked gaunt but did not appear to be in bad health despite their five-month ordeal.

The two were apprehended last March while filming a documentary on the plight of female North Korean defectors near the China-North Korea border.

During his stay in Pyongyang, Clinton held rare talks with Kim to win the release of the two.

The Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the former U.S. president "expressed words of sincere apology" to the North Korean leader for the "hostile acts" committed by the journalists against North Korea.

It continued, "Clinton courteously conveyed to Kim an earnest request of the U.S. government to leniently pardon them and send them back home from a humanitarian point of view."

However, a senior U.S. official denied the report later, saying Clinton did not offer an apology.

After "candid and in-depth discussions on pending issues" between the two countries, Clinton and Kim agreed to resolve issues through dialogue, the KCNA said.

Meanwhile, North Korea's protocol for Clinton drew attention as it offered red carpet treatment.

The former president was invited to a banquet at Yeongbingwan, an official guesthouse, hosted by the National Defense Commission.

Upon arrival Tuesday, Clinton was greeted by senior officials including chief nuclear negotiator Kim Kye-gwan.

Both the U.S. and South Korean governments have yet to make official comments on the trip since it was considered a private mission to deal with humanitarian issues.

ksy@koreatimes.co.kr