By The Choson Ilbo is reporting that the two detained US reporters in North Korea will likely be sent to the Pyongsong Special Camp near Pyongyang:
Two American journalists who were sentenced in North Korea to 12 years of hard labor will probably be sent to the Pyongsong Special Camp near the capital.
North Korean sources say ordinary convicts are sent to labor camps, unlike political prisoners who are sent to concentration camps. There inmates are forced to do backbreaking labor such as felling trees, moving rocks from riverbeds, and working in mine pits. Observers speculate that if Euna Lee and Laura Ling are sent there, the international outcry will be so severe that it would be more trouble for North Korea than it is worth, even if it is using the two as a bargaining chip in dealings with the U.S.
Instead, they will probably be sent to a special camp originally built to accommodate ranking members of the Workers Party and other figures thought to merit special treatment. Special camps are better furnished than general camps, and inmates reportedly do relatively light work. [Chosun Ilbo]
Like the Chosun Ilbo I see no way that these two women would be sent to one of the labor camps considering the fact that they will eventually be released. In general you get sent to the labor camps to die and that is why there has been so few North Korean defectors that have stories to tell about these camps.
Pyongsong is located about 32 kilometers northeast of Pyongyang near the city of Sunan
Besides holding this camp for political prisoners Pyongsong is also the hub of North Korean counterfeiting operations along with having key nuclear and chemical research centers for the North Koreans. It was also grimly the place of execution for someone who dared to start his own private farm. The city is also home to North Korea’s largest market place which on Google Earth the Pyongsong Market is easily seen:
Pyongsong is also home to a number of large fenced off palace complexes and lake side villas for the regime elite:
I also looked around the area to see if there was any fenced off areas that could be a camp. Here was one facility I found that actually appeared to have a wall around it, but I have no idea if this camp or some kind of military related facility:
Maybe some of you out there can help find where the camp is located. Personally I wouldn’t be surprised if they are kept in a hotel or some sequestered villa like the prior American detained in North Korea:
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]
When these two are released I seriously doubt the North Koreans would want them telling stories about their experiences living in a forced labor camp. Where ever they are staying it still will not be a pleasant experience just because of the very fact they are being held hostage in North Korea.
6:21 am on June 10th, 2009 1
Lets hope that they do not mysteriously commit suicide like the first American hostage did after his release from the north.
10:08 am on June 10th, 2009 2
"When these two are released I seriously doubt the North Koreans would want them telling stories about their experiences living in a forced labor camp." Many Japanese "guests" who were unhappy with the treatment also died of "disease" in north Korea. The north Koreans were kind enough to cremate the remains and forget where they buried them.
1:50 pm on June 10th, 2009 3
I keep hearing your comments about "the hostages will soon be released".
You have alot of faith in 'hope'. How long has it been now? Two months? more?
1:55 pm on June 10th, 2009 4
Pyongsong is the NK center for counterfeiting & nuclear/chemical research.
I guess Lee & Ling are now human shields.
Smart strategy for the Norks!
2:17 pm on June 10th, 2009 5
It has been three months and when they were grabbed I predicted three to six months them being held. I would be shocked if they were held longer than a year because not even the Pueblo crew was held that long.
2:37 pm on June 10th, 2009 6
I know who John Galt is and where he supposidly lived, but I can't find "Al Gore", who was in every headline for the last three years every day. They are or were his employees were they not? I suspect he may have volunteered for a special mission as 'Al Rambo' but the state department is holding him back.
7:32 pm on June 10th, 2009 7
GI is right, they won't keep them too long. The US plays these games with NK but if it went over a year they'd play hardball. Hardball as in the rest of the world doesn't know what the US is really capable of behind the scenes when extremely pissed off.
7:44 pm on June 10th, 2009 8
"The US plays these games with NK but if it went over a year they’d play hardball. "
I bet that depends on if they actually went into North Korea fair and square or if they got kidnapped.
If they got kidnapped, the US should already have played hardball… as a message to the world on what is acceptable behavior toward American citizens and what isn't.
If they went into North Korea, pushing for their release should come after the bomb, missile and export of weapon technology problems are solved… as a message to American citizens not to go making difficult situations more difficult.
Either way, we should take a lesson from North Korea and start sentencing those who cross into our country illegally with years of hard labor.
3:00 am on June 11th, 2009 9
The Obviously got kidnapped. NK knows how to play the game oh too well.
8:29 pm on June 11th, 2009 10
I just found a new video on YouTube featuring a French film crew chatting with a young docent while touring inside North Korea’s Military Museum last month.
The Frenchmen actually ask this young North Korean woman about the 2 American journalists who were caught at the border with China and she seems to be saying that this is the first time she heard about such news!
Here is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qe24PHFXq8
The conversation about the 2 American journalists begins at 7:30 in the video and then later they joke about espionage. I’m sorry my high school French is not good enough to provide a professional translation.
The rest of the 2 part video is pretty cool; check it out!
12:31 am on June 12th, 2009 11
I don't speak French at all but appears this video would be quite interesting if it had English subtitles. She did look quite surprised when asked the question though.