Joyous Reunion for American Jeffrey Fowle and His Family After Being Released by North Korea

Teresa Neumann : Oct 22, 2014
Felicia Schwartz – The Wall Street Journal

His crime? Evangelism.

(Dayton, OH)—Jeffrey Fowle, 56, one of three US citizens detained in North Korea, was released yesterday and has returned to his home in Dayton where he reportedly had an emotional reunion with his family.

Fowle was arrested in May for leaving a Bible in the toilet of a restaurant/nightclub, an act considered evangelism, which is outlawed in North Korea. Fowle insisted he was not on a mission for his church.

Multiple sources report that Fowle was met at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base by his wife, three children, and other relatives.

Base Col. John Devillier was quoted as saying the reunion was teary and that Fowle seemed happy and thrilled to be back on US soil.

"The reaction from his children was priceless," said Devillier. "They hadn't seen their dad in some time."

An AP report noted that Fowle seemed to be in good medical health and that no explanation for his release from North Korea has been given yet.

Marie Harf, a deputy spokeswoman for the State Department thanked the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang for its "tireless efforts" to free Fowle.