Three Americans freed from captivity in North Korea arrived at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington on Thursday on a military plane.

US President Donald Trump was on hand to greet them.

The Boeing C-40 outfitted with medical facilities arrived at the base at 2:42 a.m. (0642 GMT) local time, carrying Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim, who were released to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about 20 hours earlier.

Pompeo was in Pyongyang to discuss Trump's plans to meet with North Korea's Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks.

He returned on a separate plane, joining Trump, first lady Melania Trump and Vice President Mike Pence on the tarmac.

The three former detainees will be transported to Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre for further evaluation and medical treatment.