North Korea says it will free American missionary

State media in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, said the government decided to "leniently forgive" Robert Park, 28, of Tucson, Ariz., because of his "sincere repentance of his wrong doings." North Korea did not say when it would release Park.

Park walked from China into North Korea across the frozen Tumen River carrying letters calling on leader Kim Jong Il to step down and to close the country's gulag of labor camps for political prisoners.

In Washington, U.S. officials said they had been informed of Park's impending release. "North Korean authorities informed us recently of their intention to do so and we are pleased they are proceeding," National Security Council spokesman Ben Chang told the Associated Press.

The missionary's father, Pyong Park, reached by the AP in Carlsbad, Calif., said, "We are very excited but I don't know if it's real or not."