freedomthree

FreedomThree refers to a group of three American prisoners of conscience who were detained in North Korea for alleged espionage and other charges. The trio—Kenneth Bae, Matthew Miller, and John Kim—were arrested in 2012 and 2013, sparking international concern over human rights abuses and diplomatic tensions between North Korea and the United States.

Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American missionary, was arrested in 2012 while traveling in North Korea. He claimed he was mistaken for a spy due to his unauthorized entry into a restricted area. Matthew Miller, a U.S. citizen and former U.S. Army soldier, was detained in 2013 after allegedly attempting to distribute religious materials. John Kim, a dual citizen of the U.S. and South Korea, was arrested in 2013 for unspecified "hostile acts" against North Korea.

The cases drew global attention, with human rights organizations and governments advocating for their release. In 2014, Bae was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor, while Miller received a 10-year sentence. John Kim was sentenced to 10 years in 2015. The U.S. government repeatedly called for their release, citing their status as prisoners of conscience.

In August 2014, Kenneth Bae was unexpectedly released after a plea deal, though he was later re-arrested and imprisoned again before being deported to the U.S. in 2017. Matthew Miller was released in 2017 following a diplomatic exchange involving the release of a North Korean spy. John Kim was released in 2018 as part of a prisoner swap involving a North Korean spy in South Korea.

Their cases highlighted ongoing diplomatic challenges and human rights issues between North Korea and Western nations. While their releases marked a temporary resolution, concerns over North Korea’s treatment of prisoners of conscience persisted.