Reports are coming out that the three American detainees in North Korea have been freed from labor camps.... and that they have moved to a hotel near Pyongyang ahead of their possible release. <br />The Trump administration says,.... it's looking into the details.... and the president himself seems to be telegraphing a big announcement. <br />Our Shin Se-min has more. <br /> President Trump taking to Twitter late Wednesday, local time: <br /> "As everybody is aware, the past Administration has long been asking for three hostages to be released from a North Korean Labor camp, but to no avail... Stay tuned " <br /> His tweet was posted moments after U.S. officials confirmed they were looking into reports the three remaining American detainees in North Korea have been relocated from a labor camp to a hotel near Pyongyang.<br /> The Financial Times quoted campaigners that said North Korea has freed the prisoners as a 'goodwill gesture.'<br /> AFP, citing South Korean activists with contacts in the North, reports that North Korea and the U.S. are extremely close to reaching a deal on the detainees' release. <br /> North Korea's human rights abuses are likely to make up a significant bulk of the agenda during the upcoming summit between President Trump and Kim Jong-un that should happen sometime in May or early June.<br /> The Trump administration has long been demanding the North free the detainees -- Kim Hak-song, Tony Kim and Kim Dong-chul.<br /> It was reportedly brought up during a one-on-one between then-CIA Director Mike Pompeo and Kim Jong-un when Pompeo -- now Secretary of State -- made a secret visit to Pyongyang in early April. <br /> Watching this unfold before the upcoming Kim-Trump summit is surreal to a relative of one of the detained Americans.<br />Sol Kim says he's hopeful North Korea will take steps toward peace and release his father Tony Kim unharmed.<br /><br /> "It's exciting, and it is hopeful that North Korea is engaging in any form of communication with other countries,... and that they are not closed anymore."<br /><br /> Sol has not heard from his father since he was arrested in North Korea in April 2017.<br />To this day he checks in with the State Department on a weekly basis for updates.<br /> With the latest developments that seem to suggest his father could be home soon,... Sol says he's calm. <br /><br /> "Although it is exciting news,... all I can do is to be patient." <br /><br />Shin Se-min, Arirang News. <br />
