Can Gov. Bill Richardson Negotiate Kenneth Bae’s Release from North Korea?

The Takeaway

North Korean detainee Kenneth Bae is an American citizen whose been held in North Korea for six months. He’s charged with pursuing hostile acts against the North Korean regime.
Bae worked in North Korea as a missionary and tour guide, but the regime says he’s used his position to communicate anti-government messages. Bae has called on the United States to do more to negotiate his release.
Recent detainee incidents have a ritual to them–a long stalemate followed by high profile, dramatic release often involving a former U.S. president flown in to broker the deal.
Former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson knows this ritual and has participated in a few prisoner releases in the past. But the new North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is a wildcard so far and is not necessarily following the rules of these detentions.
Gov. Richardson joins us to discuss whether or not a negotiation effort can free Bae.
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