Detained Korean-American Kenneth Bae was granted consular access and met with officials from the Swedish Embassy earlier this week, Voice of America has reported.

Bae’s meeting with the Swedish officials was his first in four month, and comes two weeks after the North Korean government returned him to a labor camp.

North Korean authorities had denied repeated requests since April 18 by the embassy to meet with Bae.

The Swedish embassy has in the past acted as a mediator on behalf of the United States, which has no official relations with Pyongyang. Earlier this year the Swedish embassy served as