U.S. Missionary Freed From N. Korea

(AP)  Updated at 12:20 a.m. ET

An American missionary arrived in Beijing on Saturday after being freed by North Korea, which had detained him for illegally crossing its border from China on Christmas Day.

Robert Park, appearing pale and drawn, did not say anything as U.S. consular officials escorted him from the North Korean plane at Beijing's airport.

U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Susan Stevenson said Park would leave later in the day for the United States.

On Friday, North Korea , saying he had shown "sincere repentance" for entering the country illegally.

The 28-year-old Park, of Tucson, Ariz., from China into North Korea carrying letters calling on leader Kim Jong Il to close the country's notoriously brutal prison camps and step down from power - acts that could risk a death sentence in the totalitarian nation.

However, the North Korean government "decided to leniently forgive and release him, taking his admission and sincere repentance of his wrongdoings into consideration," the official Korean Central News Agency said.

The report quoted Park as saying he was ashamed of the "biased" view he once held of the communist nation. Park did not respond Saturday to questions from reporters at Beijing's airport asking whether he had been speaking freely or under duress.

"We are just elated that he's been released safely," the Rev. Madison Shockley, a Park family pastor in Carlsbad, Calif., said by phone. "We cannot wait for him to land on American soil and to hear the truth of what he discovered there."

Shockley said Park's parents were told of the release by the State Department on Friday and were very happy but almost in shock.

"The mother will only truly believe it when he is in her arms," Shockley said.

Messages left for Park's parents and brother were not immediately returned.

[Dgunner]

I was taught > Knock and the door will be opened. Not slip past the authorities and insult thier customs and governments and be celebrated around the world.The president and congress need to alert the citizens of this country.IF YOU GO INTO NORTH KOREA WITHOUT PERMISSION? ATTEMPTS BY YOUR COUNTRY WILL NO LONGER BE MADE TO FREE YOU.

[brianp55]

Oh, thank God for his release! Now we can all get on with our lives. This is truly an important piece of news of epic proportions.

[erb0087]

"The report quoted Park as saying he was ashamed of the "biased" view he once held of the communist nation."

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Yeah. It turned out to be much worse than he had thought.

[run2jazz2]

I live in Tucson, AZ where this guy is from. I understand that honestly he felt that he can go to help this country as a missionary, but there this is where reality needs to set in and realize that North Korea is not Kansas.

This man is not to be celebrated as a hero. He is simply a naive about the things in life. Be passionate about things that your realistically can control in this life of ours.

[starving1968-3]

Idiots like this KNOWINGLY put themselves in harm's way by doing stupid SH** like this, and then want to be celebrated like some sort of hero when they're released.

And if they ARE NOT immediately released, they expect our state department to get involved - like they have nothing better to do.

[SummarexStrikesBack]

I hope they checked her for babies on the way out!

[writer10]

you are an idiot