North Korea rescinds invite to seek Bae release

BY DAVID BRUNNSTROM
WASHINGTON Mon Feb 10, 2014 5:00am EST

(Reuters) - North Korea has rescinded an invitation for a senior U.S. official to visit Pyongyang to seek the release of imprisoned U.S. missionary Kenneth Bae, a State Department official said on Sunday, adding civil rights activist Jesse Jackson had offered to go to Pyongyang to try to free Bae.

"We are deeply disappointed by the DPRK (North Korean) decision - for a second time - to rescind its invitation for Ambassador (Robert) King to travel to Pyongyang to discuss Kenneth Bae's release. The DPRK announced publicly in May 2013 it would not use the fate of Kenneth Bae as a political bargaining chip," the official said.

"At the request of the Bae family, Reverend Jackson offered to travel to Pyongyang on a humanitarian mission focused on Bae's release. We support the efforts of the Bae family and Reverend Jackson to bring Bae home," the official said.

North Korea's official KCNA news agency has not reported on the latest invitation to King or why it was rescinded but said on Monday a retired U.S. diplomat had arrived in its capital, Pyongyang.

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