Obviously the US Goverment gave something in return. If the State Department does not specifically answer to that, there will be a MAJOR SCANDAL brewing over this.
My guess is the aircraft would land at Sunan Airport outside of Pyongyang in the afternoon (today our time) 4 August. The kowtow meeting, grovel, and payoff where North Korea will dictate terms to the United States, would then start in the late afternoon or early evening our time today, as it is about a 30 minute ride from airport to downtown DPRK Foreign Ministry. Now currently 11:20 a.m. Tuesday Pyongyang.
(Prince) Kim Jong Un (in charge of the girls in Pyongyang) done good on this one. He really jacked the Americans around on this one and got a good shakedown. Maybe good for another star from Dad for his KPA General's uniform.
I will wager the sellout was some kind of direct diplomatic venue for DPRK and USA to discussion North Korea receiving food assistance was the bribe. That is, if they dont go through with their request to demand US to have South Korea return Hwang back to the north for punishment.
Isn’t there some kind of like, law against private citizens negotiating with enemies and proscribing foreign policy?