North Korea Releases Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller, last two American detainees

Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller have been released from jail and sent home to America with the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper. CNN reports that this came about after North Korea contacted the U.S. government with a request that a Cabinet-level official be dispatched to the country to discuss the detainees.

U.S. officials said there was no “quid pro quo” involving in the men’s release. Kenneth Bae has been held since late 2012 for anti-government acts, and was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in April 2013. It was claimed that the now 46-year-old Bae was part of a Christian plot to overthrow the regime.

Matthew Miller was detained since April, after allegedly tearing up his tourist visa and seeking asylum in North Korea. The 25-year-old was convicted in September of committing “acts hostile” to the nation and sentenced to 6 years of hard labor.

Both Bae and Miller were born in the month of August and spent one birthday as prisoners in North Korean.

Earlier this year, basketball star, Dennis Rodman, came under criticism for hobnobbing with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, staging a basketball game but doing nothing to assist in Kenneth Bae’s release while he was there.