Former US President Jimmy Carter poses with Aijalon Mahli Gomes, an American citizen who was detained by North Korea for illegal entry, at Pyongyang airport. –Reuters Photo

WASHINGTON: The US State Department on Friday welcomed the release of an American who had been imprisoned in North Korea and thanked former President Jimmy Carter for bringing him home.

“We welcome the release of Aijalon Mahli Gomes and are relieved that he will soon be safely reunited with his family,” State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said in a statement.

“We appreciate former President Carter’s humanitarian effort and welcome North Korea’s decision to grant Mr. Gomes special amnesty and allow him to return to the United States,” Crowley added.

Gomes was arrested in January and sentenced to eight years of hard labor after being convicted for illegally entering the country. The former US president left Pyongyang with Gomes early on Friday en route to Boston, the Carter Center said in a statement.

The State Department spokesman said Carter’s trip was a private, humanitarian, and unofficial mission.

“The former president traveled at the invitation of the DPRK (North Korean) Government. The US Government did not propose or arrange the trip,” Crowley said.

Crowley added that the State Department “concurred” with Carter’s decision to accept North Korea’s invitation, because Gomes’ health was at serious risk if he did not receive immediate care in the United States. —Reuters