North Korea has deported Merrill E. Newman, an 85-year old American, who has been detained for over a month on charges of "hostile acts" against the communist state.

The deportation was announced on Saturday by the North's KCNA news agency. The latest image obtained by Al Jazeera showed Newman arriving in Beijing.

The release came as US Vice President Joe Biden visited South Korea, the last stop on a three-country Asia tour that has already taken him to Japan and China.