North Korean president Kim Jong Il issued a "special pardon" on Tuesday for two U.S. journalists and ordered that they be released thanks to a request from former President Bill Clinton.

The release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who were sentenced in June to twelve years of hard labor, reflected North Korea's "humanitarian and peaceloving policy," according to the Korean Central News Agency.

Clinton arrived at the North Korean capital on Tuesday on a quest to secure the freedom of the journalists, who were working for former Vice President Al Gore's Current TV media venture.

During the visit, Clinton had rare talks with the North Korean president.  In fact, it was Kim's first meeting with a Western figure since having a stroke last year.

Euna Lee, 36, and Laura Ling, 32, were arrested back in March of this year, after entering North Korea from China. They were subsequently sentenced to 12 years of labor for illegal entry and "hostile acts."

Washington had been lobbying for the journalists' release, with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, seeking amnesty for the women.

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