Seoul, Aug 5 (DPA) North Korean leader Kim Jong Il granted pardons to two American journalists who have been held in the country for months, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported early Wednesday, shortly after former US president Bill Clinton arrived in the Stalinist state to secure their release.

Clinton made an unannounced visit to North Korea Tuesday and met with Kim to discuss the status of the two journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee. ABC News, a US broadcaster, reported that Clinton also held an emotional meeting with the two prisoners.

Ling and Lee were arrested in March for allegedly crossing illegally into North Korea and were subsequently convicted and sentenced to 12-year prison terms. The US has continuously called on Pyongyang to release the journalists on humanitarian grounds.

Yonhap, quoting the North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, reported that Kim had agreed to pardon the journalists.

'Kim Jong Il issued an order of the Chairman of the National Defence Commission on granting a special pardon to the two American journalists who had been sentenced to hard labour ... releasing them,' the report said.

During the visit, Clinton posed for pictures with Kim, whose health has been in question since he reportedly suffered from a stroke last year, and the reclusive North Korea leader hosted a dinner for him in the evening.

Clinton's private plane was reportedly still in North Korea, and FOX News cited a US government source as saying the journalists would likely return with the former president.

The White House had confirmed Clinton's trip to win the release of the hostages, but would provide no details, not wanting to say anything that could jeopardize the effort.