Former US president Bill Clinton met with two American journalists being held by North Korea during his surprise visit to Pyongyang on Tuesday, ABC News reported, citing a government source. The unnamed source told ABC that Clinton's meeting with Laura Ling and Euna Lee was very emotional and expressed hope that the two journalists could be released by North Korea and flown out of the country by Wednesday. The journalists were arrested in March, accused of crossing illegally from China into North Korea. They were tried and sentenced to 12 years in prison. The United States has been seeking their release on humanitarian ground and Clinton's unannounced visit was intended to get them freed.