A Toronto pastor who was detained in North Korea since 2015 has been released on “health bail”, according to the Korean Central News Agency.The news of Hyeon Soo Lim’s release comes a day after a delegation led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s national security advisor arrived in the country to try to secure his freedom.“Rim Hyon Su, a Canadian civilian, was released on sick bail according to the decision of the Central Court of the DPRK on August 9, 2017, from the humanitarian viewpoint,” said the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.Lim was a pastor at the Light Korean Presbyterian Church in Mississauga, Ont. and was reportedly imprisoned for using religion to overthrow the regime. He had initially gone to North Korea in January of 2015 on a humanitarian mission for the church.In a past interview with CNN heavily surveilled by North Korean authorities, Lim admitted to “openly criticizing” the regime’s leaders, which is strictly forbidden.He was sentenced to hard labour for life and is now reportedly in bad health.Earlier this year, Lisa Pak, another pastor at the church had said that the government of Canada was taking “all measures possible” for the return of the pastor, now in his 60s.According to a petition that garnered over 180,000 signatures for his release that was delivered to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the UN and the minister of foreign affairs of Canada, Lim had been working with orphanages, schools and nursing home in North Korea since 1997, and had made more than 100 trips to supply resources to civilians.The release of the pastor comes as tensions escalate between the United States and the hermit kingdom, with President Donald Trump issuing an ultimatum.“North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States,” Trump said on Tuesday. “They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen… he has been very threatening beyond a normal state. They will be met with fire, fury and frankly power the likes of which this world has never seen before.”North Korea has produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead, according to a confidential assessment by U.S. analysts, the Washington Post reported. Trump’s national security advisor H.R. McMaster said that the threats could lead to an American military response.Many politicians have expressed concern over Trump’s ultimatum being an inappropriate rhetoric, similar to North Korea’s.
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