North Korea: A Farce or Tragedy

The basket ball player had a highly publicized 'meeting' with North Korean Dear Leader of Kim Jong-un. With that 'purposeless' meeting, the impoverished nation 'released' a US prisoner. A NBA player, a friendship with a dictator?

Trump just could go demand a release, instead of making it a farce.

... OR, it's the case with hostage release with some undisclosed amount of ransom, whatever the US gov has paid. The State Dept. has accused of such deals of other nations. The US tax money funds the terrorists! The Trump Administration can not possibly explicitly make such a move.

Should an act of treason be justified if it is on the media and with a 'gift' from the dictator?