By Still no good news for the detained/kidnapped? journalists in North Korea:
Two American journalists detained at North Korea’s border with China earlier this month will be indicted and tried for illegal entry and hostile acts, Pyongyang’s state-run news agency said Tuesday.
The Korean Central News Agency report did not say when a trial might take place, but said moves to indict the Americans are under way as the investigation continues.
“The illegal entry of U.S. reporters into the DPRK and their suspected hostile acts have been confirmed by evidence and their statements,“ the report said, referring to the country by its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Euna Lee and Laura Ling, reporters for former Vice President Al Gore’s San Francisco-based Current TV media venture, were detained by North Korean border guards March 17.
The KCNA report said consular officials would be allowed contact with the reporters during the investigation. The suspects will be treated “according to the relevant international laws,“ it said.
Washington, which does not have diplomatic relations with Pyongyang, relies on the Swedish Embassy in the North Korean capital to represent the U.S.
State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said in Washington that a Swedish diplomat met with the journalists individually over the weekend.
Duguid provided no other details about the journalists or the weekend visit Monday, citing privacy concerns.
In Stockholm, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Cecilia Julin confirmed that the meetings took place but declined to provide any details. WSLS News
1:21 pm on April 2nd, 2009 1
Your view, I think, may be overly optomistic on the fate of the two journalists.
Remember, wether before or after the launch of its missle, NK has nothing to lose in its position of bargaining for the freedom of the two journalists.
I suspect with all the news and notoriety, NK will use it to its fullest advantage and not release the two until 'further' demands are met.
That could mean a year or more in NKs custody.
NK does not play by our rules.
2:04 pm on April 2nd, 2009 2
So… if they are thrown into a labor camp in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, will they continue to work for Democrats?
If it turns out North Koreans are Republicans, at least Al Gore will have pleasure in knowing the journalists' carbon footprint will be greatly reduced.
How about this idea…
If they were kidnapped from the Chinese side, it's one thing…
…but if they were caught fair and square sneaking into North Korea, the American government gives them the same considerations they give American kiddy-touchers in Cambodia or potheads in South Korea…
…and tells North Korea, "Yeah. Whatever. By the way, we are going to shoot your missile down."
Then we need to learn a lesson from North Korea and start defending our own borders.
2:21 pm on April 2nd, 2009 3
LOL, Nah, the NKs are libertarians and would never kidnap someone in China, they would only be kidnapped in NK.
I thought all the kiddy-touchers were in Thailand, but then again, i'm not current on the subject.
On the other hand, why tell NK anything and just let the missle blow up on its own?
As far as defending our own borders, I have been assured the border between the US and Canada is mostly secure and the number of Canadian illegals are way down.
2:59 pm on April 2nd, 2009 4
After all that money we spent on Star Wars defense, don't we have some kind of flying laser we can test real quietly? Nobody will ever know.
I kinda understand why the border with Canada is allowed to be porous and undefended.
We need an underclass to do menial jobs such as read our news, star in our crappy TV shows and invent our light bulbs and telephones.
3:19 am on April 3rd, 2009 5
I would be surprised if it goes on for over a year. They will be used as bargaining chips to moderate any sanctions on them after the missile test and then they will be released after the US administration begins talks with them and some quid pro quo is worked out. They will cross the border and everyone will celebrate the "diplomacy" that got these two released.
It will be a good photo op for all involved and some announcement shortly after of "progress" in the nuclear talks will be released.
I seriously doubt they will get the Kim Dong-sik treatment from NK.
I think probably 3-6 months for their release, but not more then a year. Even the Pueblo crew was released in under a year.
1:53 pm on April 18th, 2009 6
Well…
"They were warned not to leave Chinese soil but ventured across the frozen Tumen river anyway. Exact details of their capture vary, with some accounts indicating that they were arrested by North Korean troops after refusing to stop filming, and others suggesting that they were pursued across the ice and back on to Chinese soil before being taken into custody. "
zz zhttp://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6115798.ece
2:29 pm on April 18th, 2009 7
This is basically nothing new. We have heard these conflicting stories before. What I am wondering is why hasn't the cameraman that escaped not said anything yet?