I wonder what this cost us?

North Korea does not do these thing for nothing. Never have never will

Former US President Jimmy Carter has secured the release of an American citizen detained in North Korea.

Aijalon Mahli Gomes, 31, was sentenced to eight years' hard labour in April, after being found guilty of illegally entering the country from China.

Mr Carter, who spent two days in Pyongyang, has now left with Mr Gomes.

North Korea's state media said officials told Mr Carter of Pyongyang's willingness to re-enter talks on its nuclear programme.

The North's Deputy Prime Minister Kim Yong-nam "expressed the Republic's commitment to denuclearise the Korean peninsula and resume the six-way talks," the North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

Watch the news for something about money, trade, or military concessions to the North within the next few weeks.

South Korea refuses to re-enter new talks until it has secured an apology from the North for the ship sinking - something North Korea has refused to offer as it denies any role in the incident.

My guess is that the South will be pressured to end its demand to hold the North accountable for this attack.