The sister of a Lynnwood man detained for more than a year in North Korea echoed her brother’s apology to the nation for crimes he committed and his plea to the U.S. government to ramp up efforts to secure his release, our news partner, the Seattle Times notes.

In a statement released Monday after Kenneth Bae gave a brief news conference in North Korea, Terri Chung of Edmonds, Wash., said, “We understand that Kenneth has been convicted of crimes under DPRK laws. Our family sincerely apologizes on Kenneth’s behalf.”

Chung’s statement was a change in tone from previous times she’s spoken of her brother in which she said he did nothing wrong and was legally working in North Korea as a tour operator.

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