An American detained in North Korea since January, is back in the United States after being granted a pardon.
Aijalon Gomes, 30, was freed after former US President Jimmy Carter went to Pyonyang to personally negotiate his release.
Mr Gomes, who had been living in South Korea, was jailed in January after crossing into North Korea from China.
State news agency KCNA said leader Kim Jong-il had granted the former president's request to "leniently forgive" Mr Gomes.
Mr Carter spent two days in Pyongyang before leaving with Mr Gomes, who had been working as an English teacher in South Korea.
Mr Gomes reportedly crossed the border from China into North Korea on 25 January. It is not clear why he entered the country.
He was visited by a US official and two doctors in a hospital in Pyongyang earlier this month. North Korea said in July that he had tried to kill himself
The teacher, described by colleagues as a devout Christian, was also fined 70 million won ($US700,000).
The US State Department said it welcomed his release, but also stressed that Washington had played no official role in Mr Carter's trip.
