Former President Jimmy Carter left Pyongyang, North Korea this morning, Aug. 27, accompanied by Aijalon Mahli Gomes.  Gomes was imprisoned in January of this year and later sentenced to eight years of hard labor with a fine of about $600,000 for the crime of illegal entry into North Korea. At the request of Carter, and for humanitarian purposes, Gomes was granted amnesty by the Chairman of the National Defense Commission, Kim Jong-Il.

Gomes returned to Boston, Mass., early Friday afternoon, where he was reunited with his mother and other members of his family.

This was a private mission of The Carter Center, and was neither requested nor sponsored by the U.S. Government.  Also participating were John Hardman, CEO of The Carter Center, John Moores, former Board of Trustees chairman, son Jeffrey Carter, and staff aide Nancy Konigsmark.

Carter is University Distinguished Professor at Emory.

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