Obama Administration Has Reportedly Offered To Send Envoy To North Korea To Work on Release of Kenneth Bae

American missionary was sentenced to 15 years hard labor last year

The Obama administration has offered to send an envoy to North Korea to secure the release of American missionary Kenneth Bae after he appeared in front of reporters urging action from Washington, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

"We hope this decision by DPRK authorities to allow Kenneth Bae to meet with reporters signals their willingness to release him," an administration official told the newspaper. 

Robert King, the U.S. special envoy for North Korea had planned to visit North Korea in late August to discuss Bae's release, but Pyongyang withdrew its invitation at the last minute, accusing the United States of hostility.