Korean-American Euna Lee Chinese American Laura Ling Journalist arrested by North Korea
residualse...@gmail.com
Journalist for Current TV arrested by North Korea at Chinese border
and charged with illegal entry and espionage
story:
North Korea confirmed that they had arrested
two asian american journalist, Laura Ling
and Euna Lee, two weeks ago at North Korea's
border with China. The Korean Central News
Agency(KCNA)[1], North Korea's official government
media source, said that Ling and Lee will
be indicted and tried for suspected hostile
Acts against the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea (DPRK), North Korea's
official name. Euna Lee, Laura Ling, Mitch
Koss, and a Korean Chinese guide had entered
China to interview North Korean defectors
living along the PRC-DPRK border near the
Tumen River. According to JoongAng Ilbo, a
Seoul based newspaper, Lee and LIng were
detained by North Korean border guards on
March 17 at 3am as they were walking along
the shallow Tumen River into North Korea.
Koss and the Korean Chinese guide were able
escape captured by the North Korean. Koss
was later detained by Chinese Border guards
but later released. Koss has reportedly
left China. On March 21, KCNA reported
that two Americans were detained for
illegally intruding from China. On March 22,
South Korea's JoongAng Ilbo newspaper
reported that Lee and ling were at a
Pyongyang military facility and had been
charged with illegal entry and alleged
espionage. Reportedly, Lee and Ling were
detain after ignoring warning by
North Korean board guards to
stop filming. If convicted Lee and Ling
could face up to 20 years in prison.
Laura Ling, a chinese-american, and
Euna Lee, a korean american, both
work as reporters for the San Francisco
based Current TV media venture[2] .
Since the USA does not have
diplomatic relations with the DPRK,
the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang is
representing the USA government. The
Swedish embassy have confirmed that Laura
Ling and Euna Lee are being detained
by North Korea. Observers expect North
Korea will use Ling and Lee as pawns for
some sort of political effort.
[1] unable to confirm the reference to KCNA using its online english
version
http://www.kcna.co.jp/index-e.htm
[2]
http://current.com/
Laura Ling current TV staff id = lauraling
http://current.com/users/lauraling/all/0.htm
Euna Lee current TV staff id = Saldate72
http://current.com/users/Saldate72/all/0.htm
Mitch Koss current TV staff id = MitchKoss
http://current.com/users/MitchKoss/all/0.htm
multiple sources
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NKorea says 2 US journalists will stand trial
Jean H Lee. Associated Press. March 30 2009
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090330/ap_on_re_as/as_nkorea_journalists_held
Journalist Laura Ling, Sister of Lisa Ling, Detained in North
Korea
http://www.watchingtheview.com/journalist-laura-ling-sister-of-lisa-ling-detained-in-north-korea/
Why North Korea Nabbed two Journalist
Jennifer Veale, Time/CNN Thur Mar 26 2009
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1888004,00.html?xid=rss-world
North Korea censured at United Nations as plight of
US reporters remains unknown.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide. March 27 2009
http://dynamic.csw.org.uk/article.asp?t=press&id=841
Detained American Journalist seen as leverage for North Korea
Euronews. March 25 2009
http://www.euronews24.org/world/detained-american-journalists-seen-as-leverage-for-north-korea/