Behind the Scenes: Clinton's N. Korea Trip

The arrest of the two journalists on March 17 set off a flurry of back channel diplomacy, reports CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric. The urgency only grew greater on June 8 when Ling and Lee were sentenced to 12 years of hard labor in a North Korean prison. After months of requests by intermediaries the North Koreans allowed the two women to call their families. It was these phone calls that started a delicate negotiation that led to their freedom.

"They did not want this issue to start to blend into the broader geo-political issues with North Korea," says CBS News security analyst Juan Zarate.

The North Koreans told the prisoners they could be granted amnesty and released if President Clinton came to Pyongyang. In mid-July the two journalists passed the message to their families.

"He was a safe choice," said Jack Pritchard, a former envoy to North Korea. "And what I mean by that is President Clinton would not go off the reservation."

Within days of hearing the North Korean request, former Vice President Gore asked Mr. Clinton if he would be willing to travel and obtain their release. And just days later, on the weekend of July 24, National Security Advisor James Jones approached Mr. Clinton with the same request. Clinton and President Obama had no direct conversation before the trip.

But the White House did impose conditions on Mr. Clinton's visit, only the second by a former U.S. president. One: he would travel as a private citizen, and not a representative of the Obama Administration. Two: that no other negotiations take place, including topics like North Korea's nuclear weapons program and controversial missile tests in April and May. But given the former president's interest in the issue, most experts say it's likely the subject came up.

"To have President Clinton in Pyongyang, the first high-level visit in a decade and not raise some of these issues I think is a little bit beyond belief," Zarate said.

While the 20-hour visit proved successful in winning the release of Ling and Lee, major questions remain as to whether this will lead to more direct talks with a nation the Bush Administration had chosen to freeze out.

Says Pritchard: "The North Koreans had a terrific face-saving opportunity and if they didn't take advantage of this to send positive signals to President Clinton, then there's really no hope for them."