South Korea has welcomed North Korea’s release of two Americans, Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller.

The Seoul government on Sunday issued a statement that it hails that Bae and Miller were released from the North for safe return to their families.

The government also urged Pyongyang to set free South Korean missionary Kim Jung-wook as well and positively respond to inter-Korean issues such as reunions of families separated by the Korean War.

A Seoul official said that the government has consistently exchanged views with the United States for the release of the two Americans.

The official added that the fact that U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper traveled to the North to secure the release of the two Americans is seen as a U.S. move to prevent unwanted speculation that the North’s release reflects changes in U.S. policy on the communist country.