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North Korea jails US journalists

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Published Date: 09 June 2009
By Vijay Joshi in Seoul
NORTH Korea yesterday sentenced two American journalists to 12 years' hard labour for crossing into its territory, intensifying Pyongyang's confrontation with the United States.
The pair were found guilty of committing a "grave crime", the state-run Korean Central News Agency said.

The Obama administration said it would pursue "all possible channels" to win the release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, reporters for former vice-president Al Gore's San Francisco-based Current TV venture.

There are fears North Korea is using the women as bargaining chips as the United Nations debates a new resolution to punish the country for its defiant 25 May nuclear test.

Washington's former UN ambassador Bill Richardson called the women's sentencing part of "a high-stakes poker game" being played by Pyongyang.

North Korean guards arrested Ling and Lee near the China-North Korean border on 17 March. They had been reporting on the trafficking of North Korean women at the time of their arrest. A cameraman and their local guide escaped.





The full article contains 172 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 08 June 2009 9:35 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: North Korea
 
1

,

09/06/2009 02:21:24
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2

Carolyn 1,

09/06/2009 03:21:46
The girls won't do 60 days. This is about a trade meant to humiliate.


However, from a financial aspect, if the ransom is a demand for cash, Pyongyang better call the bank and verify funds first. If he's smart, he would have plans to put the check on e-bay. Jesus stuff sells for tons of money on e-bay, so God's signature, (I mean the real God right here you walks among us), or the Goracle, - either one of those signatures has got to be worth more than the check
3

Carolyn 1,

09/06/2009 03:23:47
Typo- should be who walks among us, not you-

4

Lynne,

09/06/2009 04:54:39
It is ludicrous to believe these women were spying. They were probably kidnapped close to the border.. as North Korea has a habit of doing that, ask the Chinese, who are still waiting for their kidnapped relatives from North Korea.

5

Lanna,

09/06/2009 05:20:29
Can't wait for the spin
6

Jim A,

09/06/2009 06:28:58
#4 Lynne, they weren't charged with spying, they were charged with for crossing into North Korean territory illegally. Afraid to say that after seeing the two of them in a photo earlier, they looked dumb enough to do it.
7

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09/06/2009 06:46:33
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8

GibsonAustralia,

Sydney 09/06/2009 10:58:24
Its all part of the great game China and North Korea are playing with America.
America is the target for all nations who fly the Red flag.
By creating unrest and chaos and overthrowing established governments the Red nations hope to keep the West dancing long enough to surrepticiously build armies that are too powerful to stop.
I wonder what China is building these days underground where the satellites cannot see?
9

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09/06/2009 11:00:28
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10

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09/06/2009 11:19:57
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11

Lynne,

09/06/2009 13:57:21
Jim A..the first charge was spying... now it is grievous acts.. the charges that they were "convicted" on are unknown.

Global Watch.. "At least they got a trial"? What they got was a knagaroo court.. mainly to see if the US can be blackmailed again.
12

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09/06/2009 14:15:34
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13

Dragonhead,

Dalian,China 09/06/2009 14:31:47
The area where this pair were apprehended is an off the beaten track area away from normal tourist areas.Dandong and the border are between 180-200 miles from where I am sitting at this moment. I have been there several times. Anyone who strays across the border either means to or is where they should not be without a guide.
Both are Hangul speaking Korean/Americans, who obviously would have no difficulty in reading the signs, in Hangul,Chinese or English.
Now they are employed by Al Gore, ex Democrat Vice President. Hmmm! Lots of scenarios. Maybe a ploy to have Obama open a dialogue with the DPRK after he said he wouldn't.President Flip-flop is renowned for backtracking already. Unlikely I know, but in the political game anything is possible.
Folk seem to forget that these two created an international incident in an area which is already tense.It has kept up the tension.What if that had been all Kim Jong Il had been waiting on as an excuse to rapidly move over the 38th parallel again into the south?
Another interesting point in question.Did the two ladies in question, declare themselves to the Chinese authorities as being journalists? NO THEY DID NOT!Otherwise they would have had a PSB,Police or Military escort in the area they were arrested in. The Chinese would have been all over the DPRK like a rash had the DPRK encroached on Chinese territory!
They wanted a story to advance their careers and with such ventures come risks. PPPPPP as Jim A. Well knows, is the secret to success,ie Poor Preparation Produces P**s Poor Performance! These two dumb clucks failed.That is not racist or sexist "Global watch" China, it is a fact! Your book cover,is probably that of an anti-Bush, hanky wringing, left wing PC zealot,even a feminist.Which is it?
14

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09/06/2009 16:16:20
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15

Jim A,

09/06/2009 17:19:05
#10 Global Watch, I was being neither racist or sexist, to me they look like two people who were dumb enough to enter a country who doesn't want them there, illegally.
16

Finlang,

Hong Kong 09/06/2009 19:58:41
I have intrepidly strayed back and forth across the border between Scotland and England a thousand and more times. Arrested only on social grounds both sides. The border guards have this uncanny talent for being nice to each other.

And to strangers who stray, a pint of best or a dram or several of whisky, satisfies all. The singular contentious issue is ... football.

Try it Korea. It works. No nuclear dangers involved.
17

Rosie McGlone,

Scotland 10/06/2009 03:12:18
What were these people doing there in the first place?
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10/06/2009 04:11:48
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10/06/2009 05:05:15
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10/06/2009 14:20:45
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