The DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Il, has issued a "special pardon" to two jailed American journalists, after meeting with former US President Bill Clinton, according to the DPRK's official news agency. Clinton met with Kim Jong Il on Tuesday during a surprise visit to Pyongyang. The journalists are now on their way to Los Angeles.

The official KCNA news agency reports the release of the American journalists is a "manifestation of the DPRK's humanitarian and peace-loving policy".

The report says Clinton "sincerely apologized" for the "hostile acts committed by the two American journalists against the DPRK after "illegally intruding into it". And he conveyed a request of the U.S. government to pardon them and send them home.

The DPRK's state media says the "exhaustive" talks between the two covered a wide range of topics and that Clinton "respectfully" conveyed a verbal message from President Barack Obama, to which Kim expressed his thanks.