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North Korean detainee reunites with family in Ohio
By ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS and LARA JAKES, Associated Press | October 22, 2014 | Updated: October 22, 2014 12:58pm
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Photo By David Kohl/APJeffrey Fowle is greeted by family members upon his arrival, early Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Fowle was detained for nearly half a year in North Korea after leaving a Bible at a nightclub. Christian evangelism is considered a crime in North Korea.
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Photo By David Kohl/APJeffrey Fowle, center, smiles as he stands with his family and with attorney, Timothy Tepe, far right, at his home in West Carrollton, Ohio, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014. Fowle was arrested and held for nearly six months in North Korea after leaving a Bible at a nightclub. Christian evangelism is considered a crime in North Korea.
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Photo By David Kohl/APJeffrey Fowle, right, walks out to greet media with his family at his home in West Carrollton, Ohio, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014. Fowle was arrested and held for nearly six months in North Korea after leaving a Bible at a nightclub. Christian evangelism is considered a crime in North Korea.
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Photo By David GuttenfelderA portrait of the late North Korean leader Kim Il Sung is made by people holding up colored cards at a stadium during an Arirang festival performance in Pyongyang on Aug. 24. The tools for making the myth have been developed over two generations, dating back to Kim's father, late President Kim Il Sung. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this March 9, 2011 photo, the Worker's Party of Korea Foundation Monument in Pyongyang is seen through a window curtain from a nearby building in Pyongyang, North Korea. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David GuttenfelderIn this Sunday Oct. 9, 2011, a North Korean cashier helps a customer at Pyongyang Department Store No. 1 in downtown Pyongyang, North Korea. Outside the window is a monument to the late president Kim Il Sung. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David GuttenfelderIn this April 21, 2011 photo, North Koreans in a farm vehicle pass by a large monument to the late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il near Kaesong. The tools for making the myth have been developed over two generations, dating back to Kim's father, late President Kim Il Sung.(AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David GuttenfelderIn this April 17, 2011 photo, framed portraits North Korea's late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il hang in the office of a restaurant cashier in Kaesong, North Korea. The tools for making the myth have been developed over two generations, dating back to Kim's father, late President Kim Il Sung.(AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David GuttenfelderIn this Oct. 6, 2011 photo, a large monument portrait of North Korea's late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il stands at a hotel parking lot at Mt. Kumgang. The tools for making the myth have been developed over two generations, dating back to Kim's father, late President Kim Il Sung.(AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David GuttenfelderIn this March 9, 2011 photo, books are for sale, including one about North Korea's late leader Kim Il Sung titled Eternal Sun of Mankind at a shop in Pyongyang. The tools for making the myth have been developed over two generations, dating back to Kim's father, late President Kim Il Sung. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David GuttenfelderIn this Dec. 7, 2011 photo, a painting of North Korea's late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il hangs in the lobby of a hotel in Pyongyang. The tools for making the myth have been developed over two generations, dating back to Kim's father, late President Kim Il Sung.(AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David GuttenfelderIn this April 21, 2011 photo, a portrait of the late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il hangs on a wall inside a building near the West Sea barrage near Nampho, North Korea. The tools for making the myth have been developed over two generations, dating back to Kim's father, late President Kim Il Sung.(AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this Oct. 26, 2011 photo, North Koreans rest on benches near a parking area as the Tower of the Juche Idea, upper right, stands in Pyongyang. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressA North Korean man shovels snow in a parking lot Friday, Dec. 9, 2011 in Pyongyang after overnight snow fell on the North Korean capital.
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this Dec 9, 2011 photo, ice and snow blanket an intersection in Pyongyang after an overnight snowfall in the capital city. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this Oct. 28, 2011 photo, North Korean workers dredge the bottom of the Taedong River to gather gravel for construction projects in Pyongyang, North Korea. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this Oct. 26, 2011 photo, North Koreans enjoy a row boat outing on the Taedong River as one passes through the reflection of the Tower of the Juche Idea in Pyongyang. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this Oct. 26, 2011 photo, a North Korean woman uses a personal video camera as she and others enjoy the bumper car ride at an amusement park in Pyongyang. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this Oct. 25, 2011 photo, a North Korean woman carries her baby on her back as she walks past farm fields at a collective farm near Suriwon, North Korea. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this Oct. 24, 2011 photo, North Korean women work at looms at a thread factory in Pyongyang, North Korea. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenefelder/Associated PressIn this Oct. 11, 2011 photo, a North Korean diners, one holding a pet puppy, enjoy dinner at a restaurant in Pyongyang. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this Oct. 11, 2011 photo, North Korean construction workers carry building materials in the Mansudae area of Pyongyang, North Korea. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this Tuesday Oct. 11, 2011 photo, North Korean painters create a propaganda sign to encourage construction workers and others at a building site at the Mansudae area of Pyongyang, North Korea. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this Oct. 10, 2011 photo, a North Korean man weeps and holds a hand of a young girl as they stand before a statue of the late North Korean leader Kim Il Sung on the 66th anniversary of the communist nation's ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this Sunday Oct. 9, 2011, a North Korean cashier helps customers at Pyongyang Department Store No. 1 in downtown Pyongyang, North Korea. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this Sunday Oct. 9, 2011, North Korean customers line up to buy bottles of drinks at Pyongyang Department Store No. 1 in downtown Pyongyang, North Korea. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this Sunday Oct. 9, 2011 photo, North Korean-made sweaters are on display for sale at Pyongyang Department Store No. 1 in downtown Pyongyang, North Korea. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this Oct. 8, 2011 photo, a woman wears a sun hat as she and fellow North Korean hikers climb Mount Kumgang, North Korea. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this Saturday Oct. 8, 2011 photo, a North Korean man records video of the scenery as he and fellow hikers climb to a peak of Mount Kumgang, North Korea. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this Friday Oct. 7, 2011 photo, North Korean hikers drink from a natural spring during a hike on Mount Kumgang, North Korea. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this Oct. 6, 2011 photo, a North Korean boy walks along the coast, which is fortified by a security fence, near the town of Wonson, North Korea. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this Oct. 5, 2011 photo, North Korean students at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology sit in rows during a seminar and lecture. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this Aug. 26, 2011 photo, a North Korean woman uses a parasol to protect herself from the sun as she climbs a flight of stairs in Pyongyang. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this Aug. 24, 2011 photo, North Korean children cheer after finishing an acrobatic dance during an Arirang mass games performance in Pyongyang, North Korea. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this April 21, 2011 photo, North Korean children ride in the back of a truck near the town of Nampho, North Korea. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this April 21, 2011 photo, a North Korean woman stands outside a shop selling drinks along a highway near Nampho, North Korea. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this April 19, 2011 photo, a North Korean man rebuilds the traditional rooftop of a structure at the Pohyon Temple, at the foot of Mount Myohyang, North Korea. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this April 19, 2011 photo, two white gloves, which visitors are required to wear when opening the door of the International Friendship Exhibition hall, rest outside on a small table in Mount Myohyang, North Korea. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this April 17, 2011 photo, North Korean soldiers stand guard inside the building shared by North and South Korea at the truce village of Panmunjom at the Demilitarized Zone
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this April 17, 2011 photo, flowers rest on a table at a restaurant in Kaesong, North Korea at the Folk Village, a joint tourism venture between North and South Korea that had been restored but later shut down in 2008. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this April 17, 2011 photo, tables that are said to be where the original armistice agreement was signed to halt the Korean war, sit in a museum hall on the demilitarized zone that separates the two Koreas at Panmunjom, North Korea. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Guttenfelder/Associated PressIn this April 15, 2011 photo, North Korean children dressed as panda bears prepare to take part in a dance performance to mark the birthday of late leader Kim Il Sung at a park in Pyongyang, North Korea. It's hard to imagine a North Korea without Kim Jong Il, who led the nation for 17 years until his death on Dec. 17. His death marks the end of an era for North Korea, which has known only two leaders: Kim and his father, Kim Il Sung. Already, a new era has begun under the leadership of his young son, Kim Jong Un. Still, Kim Jong Il's presence is felt in every frame of a series of images made by Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder. During the last months of Kim's life, Guttenfelder, along with AP Korea Bureau Chief Jean H. Lee, made several trips to North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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Photo By David Kohl/APJeffrey Fowle smiles as his attorney speaks to the media at Fowle's home in West Carrollton, Ohio, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014. Fowle was arrested and held for nearly six months in North Korea after leaving a Bible at a nightclub. Christian evangelism is considered a crime in North Korea.
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Photo By Associated PressNorth Korean media on Wednesday July 25, 2012, identified the woman seen accompanying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, centre, in a recent series of public appearances as his wife, named in news reports as comrade Ri Sol-ju, right. Kim and his wife are seen Tuesday July 24, 2012, together attending a ceremony to mark the completion of an amusement park facility built on Rungna islet in Pyongyang, North Korea. The North Korea TV anchor woman said Kim toured an amusement park with his "wife, comrade Ri Sol Ju" on Tuesday, while a crowd cheered for the leader, reported the newsreader, but did not give any more details about Ri, including how long they had been married. (AP Photo / KRT TV) TV OUT
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Photo By Associated PressNorth Korean media on Wednesday July 25, 2012, identified the woman seen accompanying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, front centre, in a recent series of public appearances as his wife, named in news reports as comrade Ri Sol-ju, front right. Kim and his wife are seen Tuesday July 24, 2012, together attending a ceremony to mark the completion of an amusement park facility built on Rungna islet in Pyongyang, North Korea. The North Korea TV anchor woman said Kim toured an amusement park with his "wife, comrade Ri Sol Ju" on Tuesday, while a crowd cheered for the leader, reported the newsreader, but did not give any more details about Ri, including how long they had been married. (AP Photo / KRT TV) TV OUT
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Photo By Associated PressNorth Korean media on Wednesday July 25, 2012, identified the woman seen accompanying North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, front right, in a recent series of public appearances as his wife, named in news reports as comrade Ri Sol-ju, front left. Kim and his wife are seen Tuesday July 24, 2012, together attending a ceremony to mark the completion of an amusement park facility built on Rungna islet in Pyongyang, North Korea. The North Korea TV anchor woman said Kim toured an amusement park with his "wife, comrade Ri Sol Ju" on Tuesday, while a crowd cheered for the leader, reported the newsreader, but did not give any more details about Ri, including how long they had been married. (AP Photo / KRT TV) TV OUT
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Photo By David Kohl/APJeffrey Fowle exits a military plane on his arrival, early Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Fowle was detained for nearly half a year in North Korea after leaving a Bible at a nightclub. Christian evangelism is considered a crime in North Korea.
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Photo By Wong Maye-E/APFILE - In this Sept. 1, 2014, file photo, Jeffrey Fowle, an American detained in North Korea speaks to the Associated Press in Pyongyang, North Korea. Fowle, one of three Americans being held in North Korea, has been released, the State Department said Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014. State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said the U.S. is still trying to free Americans Matthew Miller and Kenneth Bae.
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Photo By Kim Kwan Hyon/APIn this photo taken on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014, detained American Jeffrey Fowle is interviewed by journalists at the Koryo National Club in Pyongyang, North Korea. Fowle was detained for six months for leaving a Bible in a nightclub in the city of Chongjin, where he was visiting with a foreign tour group. He was flown out of North Korea on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014, on a U.S. military jet that two Associated Press journalists spotted at Pyongyang's international airport. Why did North Korea free Fowle, and only him, when two other Americans remain in prison there? Probably because Pyongyang considered him the most minor of the three offenders, and may believe that releasing him could improve abysmal U.S. relations and even temper growing international criticism of its human-rights record.
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Photo By Wong Maye-E/APFILE - In this Sept. 1, 2014, file photo, Jeffrey Fowle, an American detained in North Korea speaks to the Associated Press in Pyongyang, North Korea. Fowle, one of three Americans being held in North Korea, has been released, the State Department said Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014. State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said the U.S. is still trying to free Americans Matthew Miller and Kenneth Bae.
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Photo By JIM WITMER/APJeffrey Fowle is greeted by his son and other family members upon his arrival, early Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Fowle was detained for nearly half a year in North Korea after leaving a Bible at a nightclub. Christian evangelism is considered a crime in North Korea. LOCAL PRINT OUT; LOCAL TELEVISION OUT; WKEF-TV OUT; WRGT-TV OUT; WDTN-TV OUT
WEST CARROLLTON, Ohio (AP) — An American arrested and held for nearly six months in North Korea for leaving a Bible at a nightclub returned home to Ohio on Wednesday to tears of joy and hugs from his wife and surprised children.
A plane carrying Jeffrey Fowle landed Wednesday morning at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, near Dayton, where he was reunited with his family. Fowle was released with help from a retired diplomat and former Ohio congressman.
Moments after Fowle, carrying two bags, stepped off a plane just after 6:30 a.m., his three children and wife ran from a nearby airplane hangar and shared hugs.
Base Col. John Devillier said Fowle had a tearful reunion, and that Fowle was happy and seemed thrilled to be back in the U.S.
"We had a great reunion for an American citizen coming home," he said.
Devillier said Fowle's family hadn't told the children why they were being brought to the base and that it was a surprise for them to see their father walk off the plane.
"The reaction from his children was priceless," Devillier said. "They hadn't seen their dad in some time. The expectation would be that they would get teary eyed and they did, and I did, too. It's great to welcome him home."
Tony Hall, a retired diplomat and congressman who used his connections with North Korean officials to discuss Fowle's case, said he was excited about Fowle's release.
A lot of people were involved, he said, but he declined to name any of the officials in Pyongyang to whom he reached out. He said he was never asked by either the U.S. or North Korea to go to Pyongyang on Fowle's behalf.
The Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang, along with China and Japan and envoys from Mongolia, which has relations with North Korea, were also involved, Hall said.
Hall said he got involved at the request of Fowle's family and attorney, as well as the State Department, which led the push for Fowle's release.
"So I spent a lot of time communicating and trying to use some of the relations I'd built up over the years," Hall told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Outside the family's home in rural southwest Ohio, family attorney Timothy Tepe said Fowle had been treated well by the North Korean government and needed time to adjust to life at home.
"The past 24 hours have been a whirlwind for Jeff and his family. Jeff needs some time right now to get adjusted to his life at home," Tepe said, flanked by Fowle, his wife, Tatyana, and their three children.
Fowle arrived in North Korea on April 29 and was arrested in May for leaving a Bible at the nightclub, something Fowle acknowledged in interviews with the AP. Christian evangelism is considered a crime in North Korea.
He had been awaiting trial — the only one of three Americans held by Pyongyang who had not been convicted of charges.
The two others were each sentenced to years in North Korean prisons after court trials that lasted no more than 90 minutes. The three Americans entered North Korea separately.
The Fowle family, despite their joy, is mindful that two other Americans continue to be detained by North Korea and they understand the disappointment their families are experiencing, Tepe said.
There was no immediate explanation for the release of Fowle, who was whisked to the U.S. territory of Guam, where doctors declared him in good health, before heading back to Ohio.
A report released by the Korean Central News Agency on Wednesday said Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, took "a special measure" by releasing Fowle, who was referred to as a "U.S. criminal." The report said Kim took "into consideration the repeated requests of U.S. President Barack Obama."
Relations between Washington and Pyongyang, never warm, are at a particularly low point, and the U.S. has sought unsuccessfully for months to send a high-level representative to North Korea to negotiate acquittals for all three men.
The United States has no diplomatic relations with North Korea and strongly warns American citizens against traveling to the country.
In Berlin, Secretary of State John Kerry said "there was no quid pro quo" for the release of Fowle.
The government welcomed Fowle's return.
"The release of all of these individuals is a top priority and something that the U.S. Government has long advocated for, both publicly and privately," said National Security Council spokesman Patrick Ventrell. "We have followed these cases closely in the White House."
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Jakes reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Dan Sewell in Cincinnati and Associated Press journalists Eric Talmadge and Maye-E Wong in Pyongyang, North Korea, and Jim Kuhnhenn, Deb Riechmann and Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed to this report.