we finally hear from kenneth bae. two years being held by north korea and you could hear the joy of his sister, terry chung and all of the people she lifted who worked on his release and kenneth is talking briefly about his health. he was said to be in poor health in north korea. ana cabrera back with this. you're there in the room where he spoke. we know that as you said, he spent eight hours in a field and was kept in isolation. it will be interesting to see what more he has to say about his ordeal and what more we learn about his health. >> reporter: it was a happy moment there. he had a big smile on his face as he, of course, stepped in front of that microphone to say a lot of thanks. thank the people in this room. the media for supporting him. the community here in washington state. his home state for standing by him. he went onto even thank the north korean government for allowing him to leave. of course he thanked the u.s. state department. all of the many officials from the u.s. who had worked so tirelessly to

kenneth bae is coming home. words cannot adequately express our relief and gratitude, that kenneth is coming home. we have been waiting for and praying for this day for two years. this ordeal has been excruciating for the family. but we are filled with joy right now. and why now, poppy? that's the good question. it does seem as if north korea wanted to, you know, send a message that they're looking for better relations with the international community. they let jeffrey fowle go a few weeks ago. and you know, a lot of people have talked about whether this had to do with this human rights report from the gianunited nati that came out the other day. widespread human rights abuses. starvation, torture, execution, long periods of sleep deprivati deprivation. really awful things. north korea has been on a charm offensive, trying to present a more reasonable face of the regime. we really don't know. >> and i wonder, on that point, elise, what you think this signals, in the broad picture for u.s./north korea relations. a

the other american who came in, kenneth bae. this is video moments ago when they came out. bae with a korean american missionary. he was serving a 15 year sentence for alleged anti-government activities. he was detained in 2012 while leading a tour group to a north korea economic zone. it's important to note here that this release of these two americans comes hours before the president -- before president obama starts his trip to asia. it includes talks with china about using influence tw north korea to rein in the nuclear weapons program. this comes weeks after another narn, james fowler was released. he was held nearly six months. he had left a bible in a nightclub. showing you video moments ago, the release of kenneth bea and matthew todd miller who are stepped off of the planes with as well. a huge moment. we want to bring in alex rosier from king tv, the local affiliate who is on the scene. any indication these men mike speak? more reaction from the family members. >> what a moment we just witnessed here. it was emotional as you can man. kenneth bae the first american t

take care. >>> this is the day kenneth bae's family and my next guest have been waiting for for a veryg time. this is a very good day. david sugarman is founder of bring bae back. thanks for joining me. >> my pleasure. >> i know you've been talking to kenneth bae's family today. how are they doing? >> tears of joy. they're very, very happy. i don't think anybody expected this to happen so quickly. or the way that it did happen. so i spoke with terry as recently as a half hour ago. his sister. and she's -- she's a trouper. we've gotten very close since i met her in february and it's a blessing he's coming home. >> have you heard any details that they're willing to share about when he will actually come home, when the plane might land? when is he going to go directly and see his family. we know he's in poor health. does he have to go immediately for health care to the hospital? >> i saw and i think you saw as well they put out that press release and statement which i saw earlier that they wanted some time and space. so i'm not too certain. i trust the plane lands tonight between 9:00 and

kenneth bae and matthew miller. ing for comments from bae or miller or james clapper or perhaps all three. and hopefully those will be starting soon. >> once again we're live at joint base lewis-mcchord near tacoma, washington. they had been detained, they were convicted separately of separate charges, and held there doing hard labor and behind the scenes a lot of negotiations taking place and finally, it happened. we got the word they're going to be coming home and here they are, home at last. we're just looking at them getting off of the plane. and emotional reunions with loved ones. and they're very happy, clearly to be home. kenneth bae suffering from serious health problems but he got off the plane he looked very good. let's see. so we're still waiting to see whether or not kenneth bae or matthew miller or james clapper are going to give comments. they have a lot of press there gathered hoping to hear comments from them, also to possibly hear more details on how this detainee release was negotiated. and it would

they are overjoyed that kenneth bae is returning home. as for matthew todd miller, here's what we know about his time in north korea. 24 years old. he traveled to north korea as a tourist as a u.s.-based travel company. he was arrested on april 10th of this year. north korea state-run media claimed he ripped up his tourist visa and shouted his desire to seek asylum there. and he was charged to six years hard labor for acts hostile to north korea. we've not heard from his family. >>> bae and miller were not the only ones being held hostage overseas at least 12 u.s. citizens are either being held captive by extremist groups or sitting in jails in countries hostile to american. among them robert levinson, his captors sent pictures to his family. also 72-year-old warren weinstein he was working as a government contractor in pakistan during the summer of 2011 when he was grabbed from his home. he's been held hostage by al qaeda ever since. also allen gross a u.s. government contractor in jail in cuba. several u.s. officials including former pr

representative adam smith, also there in washington, saying great news that kenneth bae is free and headede. thanks to the state department and the bae family for their tremendous work to get kenneth home. adam schiff, he tweets, good news, americans kenneth bae and matthew todd miller are finally coming back to the united states after being released by north korea. and last hour, we shared with you this tweet, ted cruz, picking up steam. excellent news, two americans imprisoned by north korea, kenneth bae and matthew miller are coming back to the united states. and the state department took to their twitter account, saying welcome the release of kenneth bae and matthew miller. more reactions and new tweets next hour. >> thanks very much, nick. >>> straight ahead, a look at other top stories we're following at this hour. first, dr. sanjay gupta brings us the story of a young woman who defined herself by her talent, not her disorder. >> reporter: it's times like this when 19-year-old julia adams finds purpose. before becoming an artist, adams, who was diagnosed with autism when she was two

i am standing strong because of you. >> and cnn anna cabrera is right outside kenneth bae's sister's church in seattle. a lot of people might find it surprising that bae might say it's been an mazing two years. what else did he say about his time in north korea? we understand that miller did not speak. >> that is correct. well, bae is such a humble man, and you can see in that little segment that we played for everybody that he is just relieved to be here. he is thankful to be home. he also expressed a lot of affection for the people of north korea and asked the world to continue to pray for those who are in that country. we know he is a very devout christian, and we are outside the church of his sister and her family. they've been coming to this church for several years, and we know this has been the p site of several rallies and vigils praying for his release, and now this weekend those prayers are answered. we heard from terry this morning, the sister, who they say they plan to come to church to give thanks. it was an emotional moment last night. less than 11 hours ago when both ke

all through kenneth bae and the bring bae back campaign. so today's been a very emotional day for me. i spoke with the family a bunch of times. so it's just really, really amazing to actually -- it's so surveil. >> and he's on his way to washington state to meet kenneth bae. next here on cnn, violence in iraq. more on a series of deadly car bombings. the same day coalition air strikes destroy a convoy carrying isis leaders. >>> plus, fire at the doors of mexico's presidential palace. protests erupting over the case of those 43 missing students now believed to have been killed. >>> whether or not they want independence from spain. you're looking at live video from barcelona where informal polls are now open. the vote is not being recognized by the spanish government, but supporters hope a large turnout will get their attention. a pro-independence rally saturday evening drew a large crowd in barcelona. >>> u.s.-led air strikes destroyed a convoy carrying isis leaders in iraq. it happened near the northern city of mosul. right now it's unclear

of course kenneth bae and matthew miller was so serve a six year sentence.e just begun their sentence when they mysteriously were released. everybody is grateful that they are now home. i want you to listen to what kenneth bae had to say last night. >> thank you all for supporting me and standing by me during this time. and it's been just amazing blessing to see so many people being involved, getting me released from the last two years not to mention, only mentioning for thousands of people that have been praying for me as well. i want to say thank you all for supporting me and lifting me up and not forgetting me. it's been amazing two years. i learned a lot. i grew a lot. lost a lot of weight. good weight. i stand strong because of you. >> reporter: it was just so great to hear his strong words, his spirit and he even cracked a little joke there about losing weight in a good way. we heard from ken neneth bae's sister as really the family spokesperson on behalf of her brother, work sewing hard and tirelessly to secure his release. here what she had to say. >

kenneth bae and his mother live north of seattle. and his sister who kept his plight alive in the eyes of the press, and a thorn in the side of the u.s. government, trying to get them to step up efforts to get kenneth bae free, posted a notice online thanking the u.s. government for its work, the north korean government and the swedish government. sweden is the one that has diplomatic footprint in north korea that we don't have, and does a lot of our work for us. she thanked all of those people, god, and said having kenneth bae back means it will be an extra special thanksgiving. >> i want to read that statement well. we mentioned u.n. secretary-general ban ki-moon among leaders who were: do we know anything more about the men's health? >> you know, we don't really at this point, what their health is right now. as far as we know, matt miller has been in fair physical condition during his captivity. kenneth bae, according to his family, had problems. he was put into the hospital. he suffered diabetes, back problems, was seen by an env

kenneth bae has. what is he saying since being released. >> he addressed the press and the public late last night. south of seattle, he said he was of course relieved to be home, thanked the north korean government, the u.s. government, and amazingly he spoke about his two years of imprisonment in north korea. listen to kenneth bae talking about that experience in terms of personal growth. >> it's been amazing two years. i grew a lot. lost a lot of weight - in a good way. but i'm standing strong because of you. >> as mentioned michael todd miller said nothing. he was met on the tarmac by family members, but there has been no public statement. an emotional scene at the air force and army base >>> what is interesting is last month another american held in north korea was released. is there any idea why kenneth bae and miller was released now, instead of last month with him. timing is interesting. jeffery fowle came out about a month ago and said at the time that he thought that kenneth bae and michael t

kenneth bae, and michael todd miller were freed after the u.s. director of national intelligence flew to pyongyang for talks. they had been sentenced to 15 years for anti-government activities. victoria gaetan by reports. >> reporter: back home on american soil. kenneth bae steps off a military plane in washington state to be reunited with his family. he's joined on the tarmac by michael todd miller. the two men held in prison camps in north korea. miller gaoled for six years in april. kenneth bae, a christian missionary convicted nearly two years ago for alleged anti-government activities. he had been trying to convert north koreans, and had been serving a 15 year term. >> thank you for support, prayer and love. that has been encouraging for me and others who are in the same shoes in the area as well. thank you. god bless you. >> news of the men's release have been welcomed by president obama. >> okay. it's a wonderful day for them, their families. we are thankful for their safe return: >> reporter: director clapper is james clapper the director

kenneth bae and michael todd miller were freed by north korea yesterday. allen schauffler has the story from washington state. >> reporter: carrying his own bags kenneth bae gets a hug from his mother, greets family members and takes a long walk on u.s. soil, a walk to freedom on the tarmac at choint joins lewis mccard. cord. he and -- mccord. he and michael todd miller home again. kenneth bae's family worked tirelessly. >> we are finally here, my brother is home. all our hopes and prayers for the moment have come true. >> it's app amazing blessing to -- an amazing blessing to see so many people involved, getting me released. not to mention the thousands praying for me as well. i want to say thank you for supporting me, lifting me up. >> reporter: national intelligence director james clapper made the trip, acting as a patient envoy of president barack obama to bring the men home. it was the culmination of back-channel negotiations. north korea says it received an apology from the president, and kenneth bae and michael todd miller behaved in prison and were

kenneth bae steps off a plane in military washington state. he's joined on the tarmac by michael todd miller. the two men were held in prison examples in north korea. michael todd miller was gaoled for six years, kenneth bae, a christian missionary convicted two years ago for alleged anti-government activities. he'd been trying to convert north koreans. he'd been serving a 15 year term. >> thank you for all your support and prayer and love. that has been encouraging for me, and for others. thank you. god bless you >>> news of the men's release had been welcomed earlier by president obama. >> reporter: director clapper is james clapper, the director of national intelligence. he was the highest ranking american to visit pyongyang in a decade. it's not clear why filip chlapik was brought in to negotiate or whether he had a second reason for meeting with officials in pyongyang. the north koreans prefer to negotiate with former president or high profile documents on the fate of u.s. citizens. there's a speculation that by releasing the men kim jong

this entire time they had a sign on their door telling reporters to stay away, unlike kenneth bae's relativesially who came on cnn a number of time. so the two families, miller and bae, they certainly handled things very differently. so it would surprise me, frankly, if matthew miller now that he is released does decide to grant an interview. if he does though, it will be interesting to hear his perspective why did he truly go into the country and tear up his visa which is what north korea found him guilty of doing. >> all right, will rippley, thank you for sharing this morning. >>> moving on to other news. today marks the 25th anniversary of the fall of the berlin wall. german chancellor is taking part in the ceremonies. we'll take you there live next. and then president obama is headed to asia. we'll take a look at the political impact his trip could have on the u.s. economy. ring ring! ...progresso! you soup people have my kids loving vegetables. well vegetables... shh! taste better in our savory broth. vegetables!? no...soup! oh! soup! loaded with vegetables. packed with taste. that's the

kenneth bae spent more than two years in prison. he spoke shortly after arriving in the u.s. >> i just want to say thank you all for supporting me and standing by me during this time. and it's been just amazing blessing to see so many people being involved, getting me released the last two years, not to mention -- not only mentioning for the thousands of people that have been praying for me as well. >> and that was kenneth bae there. matthew todd miller had been detained since april. he spent a lot less time in north korea. he was also at that press conference. he didn't make a statement, however, and was reunited with his family. >>> well, back to today's events in berlin. the german chancellor angela merkel is live at the berlin wall. very emotional part of berlin. this is where so many east berliners lost their lives, killed by border guards in many cases trying to cross from east to west. events are underway on this very special day. pretty soon we're expecting the lighting of candles at the national memorial for the victims of

let's talk about kenneth bae. where do they go next? we know they're going to go home. but will they go to medical facilities? do you know if there is going to be some sort of debriefing by our government to find out what, if anything, the men learned while they were jailed? >> yeah. i'm sure there will be some debriefing. but there is not very much that we're going to learn. kenneth bae is going to get medical treatment because all the conditions that he had -- matthew todd miller is pretty young, pretty good health. he'll be fine. so i think at the end of the day, they'll talk to these guys. but there is very little they can tell us. they were imprisoned in a north korean camp. there is not much that we can learn about that. >> excellent point. matthew todd miller, time in captivity, 213 days, or six months, 30 days, concluded today. and kenneth bae, 736 days in captivity, or two years, six days, including today. too long. gordon, i thank you for your time and expertise and we'll see you again sometime soon. good to talk to you. >> thank you. >> thanks. >>> prison in

kenneth bae and matthew miller. the miller's family have chosen to make this a private family matter and does not want to speak to the media. he did speak to a u.s. official about what's next. he basically said it's up to them because they're truly free. >> he seems like he is in remarkably good spirits after what he went through. anna cabrera, live for us in seattle. thanks so much. >>> right now president obama on his way to asia for an eight-day journey there. he left washington earlier today and heads to china first for the apex summit, and theb he goes to myanmar before heading to the g20 summit in ahs rail wra. they'll stop off in hawaii before making his way back to the white house, which is where we find our aaron mcpike. erin, seems like a lot on his plate for this trip. >> pamela, he does have a lot on his plate. he may get the hands to talk to russian president vladimir putinen. the two don't have any sort of bilateral meetings scheduled at this point. advisors have said that they may get together and tal

and the same message by matthew miller and kenneth bae. clear to them this was an opportunity. and the north korean government put them in front of these cameras for a reason. because they determined for whatever reason that here was a cnn crew in pyongyang covering a totally different subject. and then on the last day e we were there. we are rushed to this area. and only seconds before we walked into the room we knew in they were in there. in different rooms. no contact with each other. and it was clear the north korean government had an agenda and wanted to use them as the conduit to get the message out there. more importantly send a message to their government. north korea wanted to sit at the table and work out a deal to secure their release. nobody knew it was going to happen. but here we are today. all three of those americans we met under very difficult circumstances now either with their families or on their way home. >> we appreciate will ripley so much. >> insight there. >> it really is. i find it very interesting. and it will be

it's a good story. >> anna cabrera is live in seattle near kenneth bae's family home.g to you. >> reporter: good morning randi. it's been a little over 24 hours that these men have been back here in the united states. it was an emotional reunion with both their families when they arrived late saturday night. while matthew todd miller's family has asked for privacy, we have been in touch with the family of kenneth bae from the greater seattle area. they tell us he is enjoying time home, eating pizza, sharing stories and laughing with family and friends. they say their prayers for the past two years have finally be answered. after months and years of detention, two americans held prisoner in north korea are back in the united states. first off the plane kenneth bae who had been held for two years and sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for hostile acts against the government claiming he was part of a christian plot to overthrow the regime. >> i just want to say thank you all for supporting me and and standing by me during this time. it's been just amazing blessing to see

kenneth bae was accused of spreading christian material. his sentence, 15 years at hard labour, the last two americans known to be held by kim jong un's government. after two years in captivity, and serious health issues that hospitalized him for a time, kenneth bae says simply he is recovering. >> it's been amazing two years. i learnt a lot. i grew a lot. lost a lot of weight, in a good way. but i'm standing strong because of you >>> once again, that was shouf reporting from washington -- allen schauffler reporting from washington state >>> time is running out on a deal to limit iran's nuclear programme. secretary of state john kerry spent the day in iran negotiating. the talks are up against a deadline of november 24th. if a deal is reached, it will have to pass muster with a republican controlled senate. >> reporter: as diplomatic negotiations go, these have been a marathon. in some shape or form there has been talks with iran on its nuclear programme for over a decade. now they could be in the final straight international negotiators, t

of course, kenneth bae has been held in north korea for two years.the hostages held there. he was sentenced to hard labor, and has already been serving that sentence. it was 15 years he was going to have to do hard labor. matthew miller was arrested about seven months ago in april, also just very recently sentenced to hard labor. both men convicted of hostile acts against the north korean government. so a lot of questions still, but most important here, poppy, they get to come home, and everybody is excited for their return. >> yeah. absolutely. it is great news and we're waiting to see if we do hear from the miller family. we earlier received that statement from kenneth bae's family. ana cabrera, live for us. thank you. >>> bae and miller are not the only being held hostage overseas. at least 12 are sitting in jail in countries that are hostile to america. among them, robert levinson who disappeared in iran seven years ago. his captors sent pictures to his family. 72-year-old warn weinstein, he was working as a government contractor in pakistan duri

. >> americans kenneth bae and michael todd miller are back in the u.s.er being freed unexpectedly by north korea. both were held in captivity and sentenced to hard labour. the release was arranged via a secret mission. >> carrying his own bags, kenneth bae gets a hug from his mother, greets other family members and takes a long walk on u.s. soil, a walk to freedom on the tarmac at joint base louis mcchord. he and matthew miller home after imprisonment in north korea. kenneth bae's family worked tirelessly to keep his case alive, and in the public eye. >> we are finally here. my brother is home. all of our hopes and prayers for this moment have finally come through. we are so thankful. >> it's been amazing blessing to see so many involved, getting released in the last two years, and now mentioning for the thousands praying as well. i want to say thank you for supporting me, lifting me up. >> national intelligence director james clapper made the secret trip, acting as a personal envoy for president obama, to bring the men home. it was the culmination of ba

kenneth bae says he harbor no ill will towards the regime in pyongyong for keeping him locked up nearlyae and todd miller returned home with national intelligence james claper following a mission authorized by the brought. questions are swirling around the leader abu bakr al-baghdadi, they say he was wounded over the weekend. but u.s. central command cannot confirm he was in the convoy that was hit. meantime, president obama says he is sending 1,500 additional u.s. troops to iraq to help train iraqi soldiers to battle isis. residents in an assisted living facility in new york hurt by hurricane sandy. fema declared them ineligible for aid checks they received two years ago because the money was supposed to be spent on temporary housing. that assistance was never provided because residents spent months being moved from one emergency shelter to another. i'm sorry to them led zeppelin fans, the band will not be reunited after all. 800 million was not enough by the tycoon richard branson for 35 shows. plant turned down the offer and will not consider. >> wow, for $800 million you'd think he'

kenneth bae spoke shortly after arriving in the united states. listen. >> i just want to say thank you all for supporting me and standing by me during this time. and it's been just amazing blessing to see so many people being involved, getting me released for last two years and not to mention the thousands of people who prayed for me as well. >> reporter: kenneth bae there. matthew todd miller, the other american detained in north korea had been in north korea since april. his family was also at that news conference but not make a statement. >>> back to today's events in berlin, the german chancellor angela merkel has arrived at the berlin wall memorial. let's take a look at some of the events unfolding in the german capital. ceremonies are getting under way. it's a very special way. you're seeing on your screens some of the speeches taking place at that memorial. there will be roses laid along berlin's hinterland wall and solemn services at the chapel. all this mark a quarter century of the fall of the wall. events will continue at the next hour

but tonight kenneth bae said he never gave up hope. >> my brother is home. all of our hopes and prayers for this moment have finally come true. we are so thankful. >> reporter: the long nightmare for kenneth bae is over. tonight he walked off a plane in ft. louis, washington, where his family was waiting. bae's sister who campaigned tirelessly for her brother's safe return is overjoyed. >> my brother is home. all of our hopes and prayers for this moment have finally come true. we are so thankful. >> reporter: matthew todd miller was also reunited with his family tonight. the man who helped win their release is national intelligence director james clapper. he flew to north korea for the high stakes negotiations. today, president obama reacted to the news the men were released. >> well, i think it's a wonderful thing for them, their family, obviously grateful for their safe return. >> reporter: miller, who's from bakersfield, arrested this spring after reportedly ripping up his visa at the airport. he was charged with espionage and sentenced to hard bailor. ba

great job on what was obviously a challenging mission. >> reporter: that mission to bring home kenneth bae and matthew miller after being held in north korea. bae for two years and miller for 7 morts. bae's sister said i am thrilled to hug my brother soon he will not have to spend another day at a labor camp.ther soon he will he >>> they follow the release of an ohio resident who was detained for 6 months accused of leaving a bible in a nightclub. he spoke back in august. >> i apologize to the people of the united states for causing a headache. >> reporter: bae from a seattle washington suburb was detained in 2012 while leading a tour group to an economic zone. he was sentenced for 15 years for hard labor. miller who is from california was serving a 6 year jail term on charges of espionage after he allegedly ripped his tourist visa in april and demanded asylum. abc news, new york. >>le we'll hear more from kenneth bae in the next half-hour and "good morning america" will have a report on the return home. >> a fight outside a philadelphia nightclub ends in a shootout in the parking lot. it

reassured to that came a few hours ago when kenneth bae's daughter announced her father was, quote, inthe air and out of north korean air space. bae is a 46-year-old washington state korean american missionary who spent two years captive by the dprk. was in urgent need of release. >> kenneth bae was not in good physical condition. he had diabetes and high blood pressure. and so clearly a 15-year term at hard labor was not going to help him. indeed, he was actually taken out of hard labor into a hospital recently because of his condition. >> reporter: accompanying bae and miller is the director of national intelligence, james clapper. president obama dispatched him as envoy to secure the release of the pair. clearly been an ordeal for both. but miller, who is 22, and from here in california, really has some explaining to do on his return. his arrest in april came after alarming news that he landed at at -- and requested asylum. securing their release would have started months ago and claim via new york and also with the help of sweden, who has been the u.s.'s protective power in pyongya

they kept mr kenneth bae close two years. he's frail, ill, if he got more frail or very ill, or god forbid to die on their watch, the world would definitely be eyeing north korea with more than a horrible look. and matthew miller is so young. to lock him up for six years, what is the point. on the one hand it's an opportunity for the north koreans to settle this hostage taking situation and try to move beyond it. i think what it can gain is immediately it's trying to lobby for a better image so that the european, the jap neerks the united nations -- japanese, the united nations, the americans, will not press for the north korean leadership, kim jong un, to be brought to the international criminal court. >> a lot of questions about its human right record. >> right. >> president obama praised the effort of james clapper, the director of national intelligence. does his actions raise eyebrows back at home? >> i had to admit when i read and watched the news, it's an unusual choice on the part of the united states. i am sure there

for kenneth bae, this was the embrace he waited two long years to feel. he was reunited with his family. >> i want to say thank you all for supporting me and lifting me up, not forgetting me. >> bae touched down at a military base outside of seattle. with himing matthew todd miller who arrived in the weight arms of his parents after 12 months. it was a dramatic and emotional ending after the spy story. the secret mission was headed by america's top spy james clapper after a series of back channel negotiations that included china. >> there are ways in which they can communicate with us largely through the mission with u.n. and new york. this was the final step in a well choreographed ballet. >> he carried a message from president obama. north korea wasn't offered anything in return. >> i think it's a wonderful day for the men, their families. obviously we're grateful for their safe return. >> miller allegedly ripped up his visa. bae had been hospitalized after working in a labor camp. >> it's been amazing two years. i learn a lot, grew a lot. lost a lot of

i had heard -- i had known about kenneth bae's story before i even came to the dprk. no. he had been sentenced to 15 years right before i left for the dprk and while on the trip, a tour portion of my trip, i heard other tour members talk about this other gentleman had been detain just a few weeks before i got there, and i didn't even know his name. all they knew he had ripped his visa. all during his stay, i thought his situation was the same as mine. i didn't recall he had been sentenced and sent to prison. >> i'm sure the three of you will speak and you'll have some interesting insight the time you all spent there. appreciate the time you spent with us. >> i'm available. thank you, erica. >>> let's turn now to the big blast of cold weather that's headed our way. it's not winter yet. it's going to feel like it across most of the country. >> dylan is on top of it. she's already packing her warm weather gear. >> i've got multiple days of warm weather gear packed. it is going to be cold and stretch across much of the country. 30 plus states will feel this cold air. here's t

. >> kenneth bae and michael todd miller were freed after the u.s. director of intelligence flew to pyongyang for talks. victoria gaetan by reports. >> reporter: back home on american soil, kenneth bae steps off a plane at a military pace in washington state to be reunited by his family. he's joined soon after by michael todd miller. the two men were held in prison camps. miller was held for espionage charges. they and the military was kidnapped. he had been trying to convert north koreans. and serving a 15 year term. >> thank you for your support, prayers and love. that is encouraging for me and others who are in the same shoes. thank you. god bless you. >> news of the men's release was welcomed by president obama. >> it's a wonderful day for them and their families. >>> director clapper is james clapper, the u.s.'s director of national an intelligence. he was the highest ranking official to visit pyongyang in more than a decade. it's not clear where clapper was brought in to negotiate or meet with officials in pyongyang. the north koreans prefer to

. >> kenneth bae and matthew todd miller are coming home. released after a high-stakes, secret mission. the official flew to pyongyang. >> this was the final step in a well choreographed ballet. this was something that had been predetermined so there was no real uncertainty as to the fact that he was going to bring these two guys back. >> matthew todd miller ripped are up his visa at the airport. kenneth bae had been held more than two years in a labor camp. when his health declined, his family released a statement. we have waiting and praying for this for two years. the celebration will be one we will never forget. >> obviously we are grateful for their safe return. >> fellow prisoner was released home to his country. >> we will be monitoring the story overnight. look for updates tomorrow morning on news4 today. >>> police are investigating a shooting in southwest d.c. a man was shot a few blocks from the waterfront metro station >>> three men took part in a gangland-style shooting that wounded 13 people in the district. they are facing lon

reporter: we are still don't have details, we know the national director jim claper held talks to get kenneth baeand matthew todd released. bae was sentenced to 15 years hard labor and his health was failing. matthew todd miller was in the country seven months. >> it's a wonderful day, obviously, we are very grateful for their safe return. and i appreciate the director doing a great job what was obviously a tough settlement. >> reporter: this comes after the release of another american the swedish government helped to negotiate his release. he was said to be involved in time as well but there are few questions, like why the director of national intelligence? how long were these so-called discussions and are there any conditions tied to bae's and miller's release? one u.s. official told the associated press that nothing was offered in exchange for the return of these two men. >> all right. coming up on nbc "nightly news," they will get further into what was behind this release. we have the latest at 6:30 right after our broadcast. new at 6:00, a maryland woman is in critical condition. the two ala

washington, the home state of kenneth bae. from rick larsen, so happy for the bae family that kenneth is free. big thanks to the tireless work of the state department. dave reichert tweets all of washington celebrates the release of kenneth bae from north korea today. we are thankful for his and his fellow cap does return! return.w captive's is is thrilled bae returned. video student can competition is underway. open to all middle and high school students to create a documentary on the theme the showinganches and you, how a policy, law or action by the branches of the federal government has affected you or your community. 200 cash prizes for students and teachers totaling $100,000. for the list of roles and how to get started, go to student cam.org. a look at tuesday's elections result with the democratic and republican pollster. topics include a potential implications for the 2016 presidential election. and the future of both political parties. it is 45 minutes. [applause] >> we are going to get started with our first panel. i

kenneth bae has been held for more than two years.hen his health dee lined in a hospital, his family issued a statement. we have been waiting for and praying for this day for two years. our thanksgiving celebration will be one we will never forget. >> it's a wonderful day for them and their families. obviously, very grateful for their safe return. >> the release comes weeks after fellow prisoner jeffrey fowle was released. all three are free with bae and miller back on american soil. dan scheneman, nbc news. >>> germany today is marking the 25th anniversary of the fall of the berlin wall. this morning, german chancellor, angela merkel attended a ceremony marking 25 years since the wall fell. formal festivities began with that trumpet call. the chancellor who grew up in east germany greeted crowd and placed a rose in one of the remaining sections of the berlin wall. the wall fell november 9th, 1989. bringing an end to the fight for freedom by east germans against the communist regime. >>> it is now official. president obama has named h

kenneth bae and matthew miller are now on their way home. miller was serving a six-year term on charges of espionage. and bae 15 years for religious activity. >> north koreans decided now was the time to release kenneth bae and matthew miller the two men had been in the country one for prosyletizing: and they had almost no possibility. the big question now is not only why did north korea decide to release the two men now, but how it was that the director of nashville against james clapper, was the u.s. official who was able to escort the two men from north korea back to the united states? the dni, as known here, has not been involved in this shorts of detention issues involving north korea because that government has usually wanted to have high profile american, a former president or peace activist involved in the release of u.s. citizens. many questions about this situation and there are now questions about whether this could be the break through that could surgeon the six-party talks to the international security end. >> witnesses say isil

tonight kenneth bae and matthew miller are about 48 hours into re-uniting with tear families. ere freed after the director clapper. bae and mill rer the last known to be held in korea. clapper's visit came after they were contacted two weeks ago. he delivered a letter adretsed to kim jong-un. they credit china for securing the release. in beijing, president obama talked about the successful mission. >> obviously, i'm incredibly thankful to jim clapper for the efforts that he made and i couldn't be happier for the families as we enter into the holidays to know their loved ones were back. >> president obama said the release of bae and miller does not mean a thaw between the two nations. sol analysts believe a recent u.n. report documenting the human rights abuses may have prompted the release of the americans, his report triggered a concern that kim jong-un could face indictment by the criminal court. what do we know about how and 82 the releases occurred? >> the how, this is a difficult and delicate time that they reached out. the last few weeks, they asked for a cabinet officia

thank you. >>> coming up, kenneth bae now home after being held captive in north korea for two years.ts after he landed he spoke with the media. ahead, we're going to discuss what he said. >> it's been amazing two years. i learn a lot. i grew a lot. (receptionist) gunderman group. gunderman group is growing. getting in a groove. growth is gratifying. goal is to grow. gotta get greater growth. i just talked to ups. they got expert advise, special discounts, new technologies. like smart pick ups. they'll only show up when you print a label and it's automatic. we save time and money. time? money? time and money. awesome. awesome! awesome! awesome! awesome! (all) awesome! i love logistics. having a perfectly nice day, when out of nowhere a pick-up truck slams into your brand new car. one second it wasn't there and the next second... boom! you've had your first accident. now you have to make your first claim. so you talk to your insurance company and... boom! you're blindsided for a second time. they won't give you enough money to replace your brand new car. don't those people know you're

kenneth bae and matthew miller are now on their way home. miller was serving six-years for charge of espionage. >> there is going to be a lot of speculation while north korean authorities decided now was the time to realize kenneth bay and matthew miller, who u.s. citizens who had been held by the government for at least two years in mr. bae's case and seven months in mr. miller's case. the two men had been in the country one allegedly for proslytizing and the other pore being a tourist and trying to defect. they had been held in a situation why the u.s. authorities had almost no opportunity to actually check on their welfare. that was left to sweden, which has diplomatic relations with north korea. the big question now is not only why did the two men decide to realizgovernment decided to release the two men now, but how was it that james clapper was the one able to escort the two men to the united states. that government has usually wanted a high profile american or peace activist to escort the citizens. now there are questions if there cou

we do know that national intelligence director james clapper held talks with north korea to get kenneth baently failing. matthew todd miller was in the country for seven months after ripping up his entrance visa. the state department released a statement on this today. and in it, they said, we are grateful to the director of national intelligence clapper who engaged on behalf of the united states in discussions with dprk, north korea, about the release of these two citizens. this comes just a few weeks after the release of another american, jeff fowle. the swedish government helped negotiate his release and was said to also be involved this time as well. but there are still questions like why the director of national intelligence? how long were these so-called discussions? and are there any conditions tied to bae's and miller's release? and, alex, one u.s. official told the "associated press" that nothing was offered in exchange for the return of these two men. but clearly a lot of details about how this happened still to come zblout. >> kelly cobiella, thank you so much. i'm going to turn

official secured the release of kenneth bae. >> thank you for lifting me up and not forgetting me. >ight kenneth bae and matthew todd miller stepping off the plane on american soil. >> it's hard to believe this day is here. >> it's an amazing two years, i learned a lot, i grew a lot. lost a lot of weight. >> reporter: 45-year-old bae convicted of antigovernment activities and sentenced to 15 years spoke to cnn about his living conditions. >> i work 8 hours a day, 6 days a week. >> reporter: but his ailing heart become the center of international attention. his family lashing out at dennis rodman for his high profile exhibition game with kimng un. >> he is a great guy. >> reporter: this morning, rodman taking credit for bae's freedom. posing with letter sent to the regime threatening to cancel future trips unless all americans were released. matthew miller traveled to north korea and tore up his visa. >> i am requesting help from the american government to release me from this situation. >> reporter: on friday they announced the decision to release the men because they were sinly repe

bae andabout kenneth matthew miller. they arrived in washington state overnight. more on their ordeal and who got korea.t of north >> miller and bae touching down on u.s. soil saturday night. for supportingl me, lifting me up and not forgetting me. very grateful and a great job on what was obviously a challenging mission. >> the mission, to bring home kenneth bae and matthew miller after being held in north korea. bae, for two years. you know, he had gone back and forth between a labor camp and hostile multiple times. >> they release of fowle, accused of leaving a bible in a nightclub. apologize to the people of the united states for causing a headache. a seattle,m washington, suburb, was detained a tour while leading group to a north korea economic zone. he was sentenced to 15 years for alleged anti-government activities. miller, from bakersfield, california, was serving a six-year jail term on charges of after he allegedly at thehis tourist visa airport in april and demanded asylum. 9-year-oldhome, a d.c. boy is making a remarkable recovery a month after someone

kenneth bae and matthew todd miller were freed after the u.s.ector of national intelligence flew to pyongyang. here is more. >> reporter: back home on american soil, kenneth bae steps off of a plane at a military base in washington state to be reunited with his family. he's joined soon after on the tarmac by matthew todd miller. the two men had been held in prison camps in north korea. miller was jailed for six years in april on espionage charges, bae a christian missionary had been convicted for alleged anti-government activities. he had been trying to convert north koreans. he had been serving a 15-year term. >> thank you for your support and prayer and your love. >> has really been encouraging for me and for others who are in the same shoes there and elsewhere. thank you. god bless you. >> news of the men's release had been welcomed earlier by president obama. >> it's a wonderful day for them and their families and obviously, we are very grateful for their safe return and i appreciate doing a great job on what was obviously a challenging miss

and there had been real concerns about kenneth bae's health, and the u.s. had been pushing for a very long time to get him realized because of his deteriorating health. we suspect that he will be seen by u.s. personnel while flying back to the u.s. and we should get more information later on saturday if not on sunday about the conditions surrounding this release. >> roslind, thank you. now the annual olive harvest is underway across the west bank, but olive pickers say they're being attacked by israeli settlers. >> it's a palestinian song of hope sung in what are uncertain times. this family has been as a result kateing olives for generations, but they are suffering, yields have shrunk by around a quarter this year and frequent attacks by israeli settlers targeting palestinian-owned farms are partially to blame. >> we wait 15 years for the olive tree to bear fruit. when the settlers attack us we're held back 15 years. >> according to u.n. figures settlers destroyed 11,000 olive trees and saplings owned by palestinian farmers. they were either cut down by ch

kenneth bae in prison for two years and matthew miller held in north korea for seven months are flying back to the united states with u.s. director of national intelligence james clapper, who made the trip to pyongyang earlier this week to secure their release. clapper is the highest ranking american official to travel to the reclusive nation in 14 years. while today's news is cause for celebration for both men's families, the exact nature of the talks that led to their remains cloaked in secrecy. we have two reports beginning with nbc's chris jansing at the white house. chris, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, lester. the official u.s. government statement said simply, they're on their way home. an understated description for the highly secretive, high-stakes mission. adding to the intrigue the man who helped win bae and miller's release is america's top spy, james clapper. he's on the plane with them right now, on the last leg of their journey to freedom. the long nightmare for kenneth bae and matthew todd miller ended dramatically, like something out of a spy novel, the centr

this morning kenneth bae and todd matthew miller are getting used to life back in the united states. >> reporter: home at last kenneth bae enjoyed late-night pizza and breakfast with his family who tweeted out this celebratory picture. arrived late saturday, he walked off the plane into his mother's arms. matthew todd miller then took his turn stepping onto american soil. afterward they thanked president obama and others who orchestrated his release. >> it's been an amazing two years. i learned a lot. i grew a lot. i lost a lot of weight in a good way, but i'm very strong because of you. >> reporter: north korea accused 25-year-old miller of spying after he allegedly tore up his visa and demanded asylum seven months ago. the regime charged bae, a missionary with anti-government plans. he served hard labor. james clapper brought the two men home. during his secret mission he didn't meet kim jong-un who mysteriously disappeared from the public this summer but he brought a letter from president obama for the regime's young leader. he certified he was obama's personal envoy sent to negot

americans released from captivity from north korea are back of the matthew miller of bakersfield and kenneth baeof lynwood washington arrived at washington state military base last night. members of the bae's family who live near the base south of seattle were there to meet him when he landed. bae was freed after two years of captivity in north korea and he says he is thankful he was not forgotten and was detained in 2012 leading a tour group to north korea. >>> and three people taken to the hospital after chp officers say a wrong way driver caused a pretty big crash last night on the bay bridge around 8:30 yesterday on the eastern side of the bay bridge at least 4 vehicles were involved. the shut down -- it shut docers caused the driver to end up in the wrong lanes and and they are look to see if the driver has a medical condition or if drugs and alcohol was involved. >>> antioch police are investigating a homicide after a body with a gunshot wound on the sidewalk at grassland and white hoof way about to:30 -- 2:30 saturday morning. they say the unidentified 36- year-old man was shot at least o

you'll hear from a grateful kenneth bae.y faust also released from north korea the last few weeks. >>> fighting like cats and dogs in nascar. will the fists fly again today? >>> also kicking off a week-long series called snooze or lose. we'll share the results of our "today" sleep survey. some weighing in on the question which they'd rather have, sex or a good night's sleep. >> we'll tell you about all the fun we had, my chance to take the stage with country superstars rascal flatts. it was their final performance at the nashville bar where they got their start 15 years ago. they'll talk about the days where they worked for $40 a night and tips. >> we get to hear you play and that new song. >> dylan following the cold snap targeting so many of us across the country. at least we can be united in the bitter chill. >> lester, first week with matt and now this. >> working on my retirement plan. >> i like it. >> let's hope he remembers us when we show up at the red velvet rope. >> soon you'll see changes if you take the dulles to