Canadian diplomats visit pastor imprisoned in North Korea
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OTTAWA- Diplomats from Canada this week paid a rare visit to North Korea and were able to see a Canadian pastor serving a life sentence for subversion, a foreign ministry official said on Thursday.
Hyeon Soo Lim, who served at one of Canada's largest churches, was sentenced to hard labor for life in December 2015 for what North Korea says was an attempt to overthrow the regime. He is the only Western citizen known to be held currently in North Korea.
Chantal Gagnon, a spokeswoman for Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion, confirmed a report by North Korea's KCNA news agency that said the diplomats visited the country from Tuesday until Thursday and saw Lim.
"We are still very concerned about his health, well-being and continued detention and are working actively to secure his release," she said. Gagnon declined to give details of Lim's health.
