Freed Aijalon Gomes Goes Home With Jimmy Carter

AIJALON GOMES SAVED: A woman walks past a TV screen in Seoul reporting on former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Aijalon Mahli Gomes, an African-American who was jailed in North Korea. Jung Yeon-je/AFP/Getty Images

Jimmy Carter, former U.S. president, will leave North Korea Friday morning with freed American prisoner Aijalon Gomes, who was captured upon illegally entering the communist state in January, according to the Carter Center.

Carter, 85, traveled to North Korea on Wednesday and had talks with North Korea’s No. 2 Kim Yong Nam in state leader Kim Jong Il’s absence. Kim, 69, is believed to be visiting China with his son, who will probably be his successor.

Gomes, a 31-year-old Boston native and teacher, accidentally entered the country from South Korea. He became the fourth American in a year to be detained by North Korea after he was sentenced to eight years of hard labor with about $600,000 in fine.

Gomes was granted amnesty for humanitarian purposes and at the request of Carter.

“We welcome the release of Aijalon Mahli Gomes and are relieved that he will soon be safely reunited with his family,” reads a Department of State release. “We appreciate former President Carter’s humanitarian effort and welcome North Korea’s decision to grant Mr. Gomes special amnesty and allow him to return to the United States.”

Gomes will likely return to Boston Friday afternoon where he will join his mother and the rest of his family.

Carter’s visit was neither requested nor sponsored by the federal government, the Carter Center stated.