By This sentence is ridiculous even by North Korean standards:
North Korea has sentenced two American journalists who were detained for illegal entry in late March to 12 years of forced labor.
The North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Monday that the North’s Central Court found Laura Ling and Euna Lee guilty of illegal entry and hostile acts, and sentenced them to 12 years each in labor camps.
KCNA said the trial for the two female journalists lasted five days from June fourth to the eighth.
In an unusual move, KCNA reported the launch of the trial on June fourth, but did not disclose the results of the trial until Monday morning.
Their sentence is likely to be the final verdict since the Central Court is the highest court in the communist country.
The two reporters of San Francisco-based Current TV were detained by North Korea on March 17th while filming a documentary along the North’s border with China. [KBS Global]
If it makes anyone feel any better the State Department is “deeply concerned” about the verdict. So if this ridiculous sentence is only a matter of deep concern I wonder what it would take to get the State Department to show any outrage?
Anyway look at what a prior American was sentenced for intentionally crossing into North Korea compared to this sentence:
Another American who stood trial in North Korea in 1996 was treated more leniently. Evan C. Hunziker, apparently acting on a drunken dare, swam across the Yalu River dividing North Korea from China.
He was accused of spying and detained for three months before being freed after New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, then a congressman, traveled to Pyongyang to negotiate for his release.
The North Koreans wanted Hunziker to pay a $100,000 criminal fine but eventually agreed on a $5,000 payment to settle a bill for a hotel where he was detained. [Associated Press]
It has been pretty clear from the start that North Korea was using these two as bargaining chips and this sentence proves it. This sentence was given in response to the Obama administrations’ recent moves to try and impose financial sanctions on the country. This should be a clear indicator of how concerned the North Koreans are of having these sanctions imposed on them.
I see no way the US government will allow these two to be held hostage in North Korea for 12 years. Something will be worked out to get them released; I just have to wonder how much the US government is willing to give up to do so?
7:05 am on June 8th, 2009 1
Let’s say that Obama caves (Does he have a choice?) and gives them some cash, oil or whatever. What’s to stop them from pursuing even harsher financial sanctions. It seems like North Korea has only irritated the situation.
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June 8th, 2009 at 7:25 am
Don’t go all “logical” on Pyongyang. It doesn’t work.
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June 8th, 2009 at 8:09 am
I know, I know, but it still appears that North Korea has very little to bargain with.
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June 8th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
They have Lee and Ling to bargain with. What else do they need?
7:15 am on June 8th, 2009 2
So, what do they want for their release. No sanctions? Fine. Some cash, no problem.
Just give them whatever they want and take it back tenfold.
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7:26 am on June 8th, 2009 3
We’ve got NK on the ropes, DON’T cave in NOW!
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7:27 am on June 8th, 2009 4
I thought U.S. policy was we don’t negotiate with terrorists.
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7:31 am on June 8th, 2009 5
From a poster at gawker
“Euna Lee had been a tape editor. This was her first overseas assignment, and she only got it because she speaks Korean. Current hires beginners, pays shit, and throws them to the wolves. Laura’s never been a journalist anywhere but Vanguard. Her EP used to be her sister’s EP when she was at Channel 1. This is an outrage, but Current is to blame.”
http://gawker.com/5282606/laura-ling-and-euna-lee-convicted-sentenced-to-hard-labor-by-north-korean-court
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8:51 am on June 8th, 2009 6
[...] at ROK Drop and One Free Korea (With [...]
1:36 pm on June 8th, 2009 7
This isn’t the USA’s problem. This is Al Gore’s problem. Let him deal with it. This has all been caused by the poor judgement of private citizens and should not be allowed to impact the country’s security and policies.
Stand on the northern shore of the river and you remain safe in China. Cross over to the southern side and you’re in North Korea, where crazy bad things happen. You’re taking a personal risk by going there, like Tijuana but without the donkey shows.
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June 8th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
I think Mr Gore needs to step up to the plate and offer himself in exchange of the two hostages. Anything less and he is a coward.
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11:00 am on June 18th, 2009 8
I am deeply saddened to discover that the two woman held captive and force to do hard labor for twelve years is associated with the show on Current TV called Vangaurd. Back in 2007, I sent out 43 reality shows that had never been seen on TV before and one was called The Reporters which had cameras follow Journalist as they go out to get news stories. My shows started airing all over TV on or after May of 2008 without permission, payment or credit. While more than 30 of 43 of these shows have aired on VIACOM owned channels, there was seveal shows that landed in the hands of other stations or some affiliated with VIACOM . I’ve known that this was my show since it first aired during the same time that the others aired but I expected there to be news coverage in America and would have never encouraged Jouranalist to go into danger zones that would cause harm to themselves. While many of the shows I created were life changing, never been seen on TV before shows, I never imagined that these shows would end up all over TV.
I pray that the woman who were detained are released and I ask that everyone else prays for them as well. For the bible says that where two or three agree, GOD is in the Midst.
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1:11 am on November 5th, 2009 9
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