Australian Alek Sigley who went missing in North Korea last week has been "released and safe", Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said.It comes after a meeting between officials from the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang and the North Korean government
Pyongyang (Pakistan Point News / Online - 04th July, 2019) Australian Alek Sigley who went missing in North Korea last week has been "released and safe", Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said.It comes after a meeting between officials from the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang and the North Korean government.Australia does not have its own embassy in the North Korean capital.Sigley, 29, was pursuing a master's degree and running a tourism business in Pyongyang.
It is not known why the student, a fluent Korean speaker, had been detained.The news of his release was first reported by specialist website NK News which saidhe was safely in China and would travel on to Japan."I'm ok, yeah, I'm good, I'm very good," Sigley is seen saying on footage reportedly showing his arrival in Beijing, according to Australian media.The 29-year-old's father later told local news outlets that their family was "over the moon that he is safe and sound".
"Last week has been very difficult... we're just happy that the situation has been resolved. He tried to ring me a few minutes ago, I will talk to him some time today," Gary Sigley told local outlets outside their family home in Perth.News of Sigley's release was announced by Morrison to parliament on Thursday. He said it was the result of "discreet, behind the scenes work of officials in resolving complex and sensitive consular cases"."We are pleased to announce that Alek Sigley has today been released from detention in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
He is safe and well." Mr Morrison said.He said Swedish authorities had met with senior officials from the DPRK on Wednesday and "raised the issue of Alek's disappearance on Australia's behalf"."I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the Swedish authorities for their invaluable assistance."Sweden is one of few Western countries that have an embassy in North Korea and often acts as an intermediary for countries that don't.
