WORLD
TOKYO — An American man detained in North Korea for the past 11 months has told his mother in their first meeting since his detention that his health is improving but is still not good, according to a Japanese media report today.
Myunghee Bae, who has been allowed into North Korea to see her son, Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American Christian missionary, told Japan’s Kyodo News agency that his health has been improving since he was transferred to a hospital from a prison where he was serving a sentence of 15 years’ hard labor.
Myunghee Bae met with her son today at the hospital, Kyodo said. The report from Pyongyang did not give any further details, but said the two may be allowed to meet again before she leaves the country.
Kenneth Bae, 45, a tour operator and Christian missionary, was arrested last November while leading a group of tourists in the northeastern region of Rason in North Korea. Bae is a U.S. citizen but had been living in China for the past seven years.
German groom forgets brideBERLIN — A German couple’s marriage got off to a rocky start when the groom forgot his bride at a highway gas station on the way home from their honeymoon, only noticing she was missing after hours had passed.Police said Friday the couple was heading home to Berlin from France when the man pulled over near the central town of Bad Hersfeld late Thursday to fill up their van.The woman had been sleeping in the back but got up — unbeknownst to the man — to use the toilets and he drove off before she returned. Only after 2½ hours on the road did he notice she was gone and called police, who said she was patiently waiting.
