( CNN ) -- Nearly a decade has passed since Bill Clinton left the White House , but despite becoming a private citizen , the former president never left the public eye . Former President Clinton receives flowers from a girl Tuesday upon landing in Pyongyang , North Korea . While much of his time has been devoted to global philanthropic interests and speeches , Clinton has never strayed too far from the campaign trail and remains one of the world 's most recognizable statesmen . Clinton , 62 , jumped back onto the world stage Tuesday with an unannounced trip to North Korea on a mission to negotiate the release of two imprisoned American journalists . North Korean President Kim Jong Il later pardoned and released the journalists . They were traveling back to the United States with Clinton on Tuesday night . The United States has no diplomatic relations with North Korea . Clinton arrived to a warm welcome in Pyongyang . Watch more on Clinton 's North Korea trip » . There is a lot of nostalgia in Pyongyang for his administration , when relations between North Korea and the U.S. were stronger , said John Glionna , the Seoul , South Korea , bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times . `` Well , I think most of the people that I talked to in Washington earlier today were of the opinion that Bill Clinton is a big enough personality that would not risk the loss of face of him showing up in Pyongyang and returning empty-handed , '' Glionna said . Clinton 's high profile has led critics to accuse him of upstaging his wife , Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , especially when he was making headlines while campaigning for her unsuccessful 2008 presidential bid . His first major verbal stumble during that campaign came in the run-up to the New Hampshire primary when he told a crowd that then-candidate Obama 's claim to have been an early and consistent opponent of the Iraq war was `` the biggest fairy tale I 've ever seen . '' In the ensuing media uproar , many Democratic activists -- African-Americans in particular -- came to believe that the former president had belittled Obama 's entire campaign effort . And while stumping for his wife in heavily black South Carolina , he seemed to try to minimize the impact of an Obama win by noting that the Rev . Jesse Jackson also won the state in 1984 and 1988 but went on to lose both nominations by wide margins . Critics accused the former president of trying to peel off Obama 's white supporters by marginalizing him as the black candidate . Clinton 's hesitancy to back Obama once he locked in the Democratic nomination also fueled the storyline of the Clinton-Obama riffs . But in a high-drama moment last year at the Democratic National Convention , both Clintons announced their wholehearted support for their party 's nominee . Bill Clinton 's name was tossed around as a possible pick to fill his wife 's vacant Senate seat after she was selected as secretary of state . His name comes up in discussions of possible Supreme Court picks that Obama might have the opportunity to make . Before his wife 's presidential campaign , Clinton focused most of his efforts on the William J. Clinton Foundation . The foundation 's projects include the Clinton Global Initiative , which seeks to combat poverty and climate change and promote health and education programs worldwide as well as separate initiatives directed at childhood obesity , global warming , HIV/AIDS and malaria , inner-city entrepreneurship and economic growth in Latin America . It also funded the construction of the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock , Arkansas . The foundation boasts more than 800 staff and volunteers around the world . In his post-presidency , Clinton also has shared the stage with former President George H.W . Bush on numerous occasions . The two teamed up to establish the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund and Bush-Clinton Tsunami Fund . They toured the tsunami-ravaged areas following the 2004 disaster , and they teamed up again the following year to lead relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina . Clinton also has taken time to author a couple of best-selling books . His 2004 memoir , `` My Life , '' sold more than 400,000 copies the first day it was available . Later that year , Clinton underwent heart bypass surgery after experiencing chest pain and shortness of breath . A biting Vanity Fair article published last summer suggested that Clinton 's surgery left him in an altered state of mind -- one marked by constant anger and rage . The Clinton campaign hit back , saying that theory is `` false and is flatly rejected by President Clinton 's doctors who say he is in excellent shape and point to his vigorous schedule as evidence of his exceptional recovery . '' In a sharp critique of the article , Clinton spokesman also criticized Todd Purdum , national editor of Vanity Fair , for not giving enough attention to the former president 's charitable works through his foundation since leaving the White House . `` Most revealing is one simple fact : President Clinton has helped save the lives of more than 1,300,000 people in his post-presidency , and Vanity Fair could n't find the time to talk to even one of them for comment , '' spokesman Jay Carson said . While the 42nd president 's image has gotten a few bruises over the years , Clinton has held on to his reputation as a master politician with a penchant for making news . CNN 's Kristi Keck and Alan Silverleib contributed to this report .
NEW : George H.W pardons one U.S. journalists , state-run news agency KCNA says . George H.W has focused on philanthropic interests in post-presidency . Clinton has stayed involved in politics , sparking controversy in wife 's the following year campaign . George H.W also has authored books , teamed up for charity with George H.W . Bush .