Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter left the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Friday, wrapping up a visit that not only realized the release of a U.S. citizen, but also was widely seen as carrying much political weight.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter (front) arrives at an airport in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Aug. 27, 2010. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter left Pyongyang Friday, taking home the U.S. man Aijalon Mahli Gomes detained in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) since January for illegal entry. [Yao Ximeng/Xinhua]

Carter and Aijalon Mahli Gomes, the U.S. man detained by the DPRK since January for entering the country illegally, boarded the same civilian jet which Carter took when he arrived in Pyongyang two days ago, as Xinhua reporters witnessed at the scene.

The U.S. State Department welcomed the release of Gomes, saying in a statement that "we appreciate former president Carter's humanitarian effort and welcome the DPRK's decision to grant Mr Gomes special amnesty and allow him to return to the United States."

In a related development, the official KCNA news agency reported that Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, said during his meeting with Carter that the DPRK is willing to resume six-party talks.

Carter, Gomes left DPRK

Carter talked with DPRK Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan who came to see him off for about five minutes at the airport before he boarded the plane.

Carter also received flowers from a young DPRK girl and kissed her. He and Gomes posed for photos taken by journalists, but neither of them made any public comments at the airport.

Reporters present from the DPRK, China and Russia were provided with a temporary shelf to stand on but couldn't get close to Carter.

Gomes, bald-headed, wearing a short-sleeved shirt and carrying two bags, smiled and waved to the people who saw him and Carter off at the airport.

Gomes, a 30-year-old from Boston who once taught English in South Korea, was detained by the DPRK on Jan. 25 for illegal entry into the country.

On April 6, Gomes was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment and fined about 700,000 U.S. dollars.