North Korea said Wednesday that it has released a Korean Canadian pastor who had been detained for two years and seven months over health reasons.

“Rim Hyon Su [Lim Hyeon Soo], a Canadian civilian, was released on sick bail accordint to the decision of the Central Court of the DPRK on August 9, 2017, from the humanitarian viewpoint,” North Korea’s official news agency KCNA said.

Lim had been detained in December of 2015 when he was in North Korea for a humanitarian visit. He was sentenced to hard labor for life for committing “crimes against the state.”

According to his family, Lim had been to North Korea more than 100 times for humanitarian activities since 1997. 

His release came one day after a special envoy of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived in the North. Daniel Jean, national security advisor to the prime minister of Canada, and his party also accompanied with.

The visit drew speculation that the envoy was to persuade the North to release the detained pastor.

Meanwhile, Lim’s health condition is currently unclear. Lim also has had high blood pressure, and his family was able to send him medication while he was detained in North Korea. However, Canadian Senator Yonah Martin expressed concern that Lim was not receiving the medicine “in the way he should, “ according to Reuters.