The U.S. government has stressed that it is working to secure the release of three Americans detained in North Korea.
 
U.S. National Security Council spokesman Patrick Ventrell said Monday that securing the Americans' release "is a top priority” and the White House has closely followed such cases.
 
At the State Department, Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said there is no greater priority for Washington than the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad.

Psaki urged the North to release Jeffrey Fowle and Matthew Miller so they may return home out of humanitarian concern. She added that the U.S. requests that the North pardon Kenneth Bae and grant him special amnesty and immediate release so he may reunite with his family and seek medical care. Psaki then stressed that Washington continues to work actively to secure the three Americans’ release. 

She said the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang acts as the "protecting power for issues involving U.S. citizens in North Korea," and the United States is in "regular, close coordination" with the embassy.
 
The remarks come after Kenneth Bae, Matthew Miller and Jeffrey Fowle called for the U.S. government to exert more active efforts for their release during interviews with CNN.