President Barack Obama thanked former President Bill Clinton in person on Tuesday for his trip to North Korea early this month to secure the release of two American journalists, the White House said. The two men met in the White House Situation Room for nearly 40 minutes, after which Obama invited his fellow Democrat to the Oval Office to talk for another half hour.
"Former President Clinton described the process, including a meeting with Kim Jong-il, that culminated in the North Korean leadership granting 'special amnesty' to the two journalists and permitting them to return to the United States," the White House said in a statement. "President Obama said he was gratified that the Americans had been safely reunited with their families."
Clinton left after the meeting without speaking to reporters. His wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, said his trip had provided insight into North Korea. "The briefing that my husband and those who travelled with him ... is, you know, extremely helpful, because it gives us a window into what's going on in North Korea," she told reporters.