Avjet Corp., the Burbank company that manages the aircraft Clinton took on the mission, confirmed that it belongs to Bing. The producer, a major Democratic Party donor, will pay for the flight, which could cost $100,000 for fuel alone, Foulkrod said.

The Boeing jet left Burbank at 3 a.m. Monday and was in the air for 26 hours, with stops in Alaska and Japan on the way to North Korea and in Japan on the way back.

Ling and Lee were arrested near the North Korean border with China while reporting on fleeing refugees.

In June, they were convicted and sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for illegally entering the country and for "hostile acts."

As the two journalists walked off the plane Wednesday, Ling pumped both fists in the air.She was embraced by her sister, mother and husband, followed by other family members. After several moments of hugs among relatives amid the clicks of cameras, Clinton emerged from the plane to applause. He later flew on to his home in Chappaqua, N.Y.

During most of Wednesday's airport news conference, Lee's 4-year-old daughter, Hana, stayed in her mother's arms, her hand resting on Lee's back or clutched behind her neck.

"Euna, Hana's been a great girl while you were gone," Gore said, "and Laura, your mom's been making your special soup for two days now."

Gore thanked everyone involved in getting the pair released and said Obama and his staff "have been deeply involved in this humanitarian effort. . . . They have really put their hearts in this."

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