Online media network Current TV has so far remained deafeningly silent over the arrests of two of its reporters, Chinese-American Laura Ling and Korean-American Euna Lee, who were detained by the North Korean military earlier this month after crossing the border between China and North Korea while they were reporting on refugees fleeing poverty. Reports about the arrests surfaced last week, when the NY Times reported the detention.
This morning CET, news agency Reuters followed up with a report that the two have now been moved to the capital Pyongyang and are being interrogated there, quoting a source from Korean newspaper JoongAng Ilbo. The article is also available in English on the newspaper’s website.
“A South Korean source said that after the capture, U.S. intelligence officials asked South Korea for cooperation in gathering facts about the detention of Korean-American Euna Lee and Chinese-American Laura Ling, who work for Current TV. The United States tried to no avail to negotiate with the North before the incident leaked to the media. The source said the American government had very little information on the status of the two journalists and on the North’s follow-up actions. Other than contacting the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang for communication, the U.S. took little action. Washington has no formal diplomatic ties with North Korea.”
The article goes on to say the two journalists crossed the Tumen River, bordering China and North Korea, acting on their “journalistic urge for a scoop”, together with an American camera man and a Chinese guide (the latter two were arrested by Chinese authorities). The two women could be facing charges for espionage, a felony that could result in a minimum of 20 years imprisonment in North Korea, but it seems more likely they will be released as a sort of goodwill gesture on the part of North Korea, at least according to the sources linked above.
We’ve contacted Current TV, which was co-founded and backed by former US Vice President Al Gore, in search for more information and / or an official statement.
(Picture credit: Yonhap, via Associated Press)
That’s a sad news. But they should have looked where they are standing; they forgot it while reporting..
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That’s a really sad news and I hate it when countries do stuff that should not me done. Those two women should be released as soon as possible.
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and thus spoke the great blogger from that great free and democratic country called pakistan.
Shame over North Korean Government.
Really sad, they have to do something about it as soon as possible.
@ 2&3
Are you for real? Sure it’s sad, but NK is one of the most fiercely protective nations. A good journalist knows what they are getting themselves into if they try to enter NK illegally … I would think those guys were set on getting a good story but failed.. You reap what you sow… But hey at least they tried
True. They knew the risks, but just scare them and boot them out.Calling them spies is silly.Selfrighteous zelots maybe, but not spies.
That’s the point. NK is crazy, not silly, and they may end up doing a lot more than scaring them and booting them out. It is sad, but they really should have known better. It’s like being shocked that two reporters reporting from inside an active volcano got burned. Everyone knows that NK is balls ass crazy. Don’t play with fire, unless you want to get burned. In this case, don’t play spie with a nation plagued with chronic schizophrenia.
Top 3 comments are basically unadulterated link plugs.
I know, what a bunch of scum.
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So the knowingly crossed the border to North Korea just to get a better story???
It would be like if they tried to get into Guantanamo Bay… of course they’re going to be arrested!
These kids aren’t reporters. CurrentTV has but a handful of paid staff.
This is what happens when inexperienced kids with a video camera think they’re “Citizen Journalists”.
It is not “sad” nor are the North Korean Government’s actions “shameful”. Imagine a reporter from the Guardian or the Washington Post pulling a stunt like this?
May their experience be brutal. Let those who consider themselves “citizen journalists” be put on notice. For most are naive.
Not true. Both of these women are on Current TV’s paid staff. Euna Lee is a news editor and Laura Ling is a reporter who’s done dozens of pieces for Current. I’m assuming they were doing a report for Current’s “Vanguard Journalism” program: http://current....m/default/0.htm
Watch some of the stories Laura Ling has produced before, from “Toxic Villages” about e-waste in China to, most recently, “Narco War Next Door.” These are serious veteran reporters, not “citizen journalists.”
> May their experience be brutal
These journalists put their lives on the line to report on the North Korean gallery of human rights horrors, including families being gunned down while fleeing for their own self preservation. You reward them by disparaging their credentials and wishing them brutal treatment by the gang of criminals running North Korea? What are you doing to shine a light on these dark corners or help the starving, tortured citizens of despotic regimes? Think before you type. These women are heroes.
You’re a f*cking moron. Laura Ling is a very experienced reporter who’s been all over the world. Do some research before you open your trap and DIAF for wishing brutality on them.
Ok Gang…..I stand corrected and appropriately chastened.
Still their plight doesn’t interest me. Or most Americans for that matter.
Nor does North Korea’s behaviour in it’s internal affairs merit much attention in the U.S.
They’ll get what they deserve.
Thanks for the correction.
mew
“They’ll get what they deserve.”
Screw you. They don’t deserve torture and years of imprisonment.
Shut up you dumb dick. You trying to scare people into hiding in shadows and ignoring what happens around them in order to remain safe? Laura Ling is not crying foul, I have not heard of any comment from her or Euna Lee. But I heard they are also safe. I hope we get them back. Laura Ling is an amazing person.
They are lucky they are US citizens. If they were ethnic Koreans from a country of no consequence to NK’s current political aspirations, e.g., an Eastern European country, the NK’s may have simplied locked them up for 20 years to life– no if’s, and’s, or but’s. But then again, only someone who has grown up in the liberal American educational system could develop such a naive sense of self-righteousness. Kids from other countries would know better.
“only someone who has grown up in the liberal American educational system could develop such a naive sense of self-righteousness”
Right on.
Forgive me, but I am going to quote Ashton Kucher in “That 70s Show” – “Can you be more stupid?…”
I wish them a great deal of luck and a quick release, but they have shown the world that they are really, really stupid. They are no “heroes.”
There are brutal reasons why their families fled that part of the world. They just forgot them….
hmmmmm
What sort of action is US going to take in this matter, poor chick what they gonna do now, after its the job that matters.
They should have never tried to enter N. Korea period. Once you enter its on you and that’s how it should be, if you choose to enter and something happens its on you no one elses fault even N. Korea you are in a place you shouldn’t be
We don’t yet know whether they crossed the border. This is just what unnamed sources said.
I recently read somewhere that a guard on the Chinese side told journalists that the N. Koreans have detained journalists who were close to the border yet still on the Chinese side and had not crossed to the N. Korean side of the border.
Regardless, I truly hope this can be resolved promptly.
I don’t know of Euna Lee, but I’ve seen many of Laura Ling’s reports on Current TV. She is fantastic.
Here’s her work.
http://current....aling/all/0.htm
Here’s what Current.com has on North Korea. (A lot. Hopefully they don’t blame her for it.)
http://current....=false&v=on
crazy story hopefully they get release soon
WE WONT STOP INQUIRIES,GRIEVANCES FROM OUR GOVERNMENT
FOR YOUR RELEASE.
MISS LING YOU ARE SUPERB.
WE CANT LET THIS ASTROCITY GO IN VAIN.
WE ARE FIGHTING FOR YOU.
I am impressed by the ignorance that emerges in many of the comments to this post. How can one say that “it’s their fault”? How can you blame a journalist for doing her job at its finest? I am ashamed for all those who dare say such words. I have seen some reportages by Laura Ling, she’s the VP of the Vanguard Journalism Dept. at Current, not a stupid videomaker who puts retarded videos on YouTube.
I’ve been to this exact spot where the sign is posted. My wife and I were there in 2004. There’s a little restaurant in the town nearby that provides delicious NK food. You can literally walk across in 30 seconds in the winter time, and wade across a shallow river in minutes during the summer. I’ve not crossed myself (I’m not stupid), but have been there when dozens of people were standing, crossing, fishing and socializing on the riverbank.
Farther down the river near the city of Dandong, you can take a bridge across the river if you have a Visa. You can hire a boat and go up and down the river. It’s remarkable how close you can get to North Korea from there.
Seriously, maybe they’ll think twice before breaking international laws again.
Again? Are you kidding me? These girls will be so scared they would never think about leaving the US again IF, and that’s a big if, they ever see the light of day again, much less venturing near NK.
So naive and righteous some of these comments. First, how would the North Korean government know they are actually reporters or why would that mean they are different than anyone else walking across their border? Second, since when did anyone here not know about how they typically respond to such incursions (including shootings). Would the US simply let North Koreans wander across the border of Mexico without detention? Ridiculous.
I agree. After all, the only difference between a spy and a journalist is that one reports to his employer and the other reports to anyone who will listen.
On first sight, it is strange that Current TV “has so far remained deafeningly silent” over this. Normally there would have been a strong show of support by employers and the public alike. Not here. Discussions have actually been killed and removed from the Current website. All involved have been clearly been told that it is not a good idea to campaign for their liberty. We can only hope they have been advised well.
It’s kind of odd that a user submitted website has blocked it’s users from posting this story and talking about it. My post on it was taken down without an explanation.
But, I think the rationality is that Current.com doesn’t want to provoke the NK’s any further while their reporters are still in danger . . . and I can respect that.
I love Laura’s work and I hope that this does not deter her in the future. When I go back through the Current website and watch the amazing Vanguard pieces that Adrian, Kaj, Christoff, Laura and Marianna have presented [along with many others], I now know of the great dangers they faced to bring it. My only quam is that Current is being silent about it. WE’RE CONCERNED TOO! They quickly remove any posts concerning Laura and Euna situation. The journalist associated with Current do amazing work and bring the world amazing stories and this is the cost of their journalism. I hope North Korea is treating them well and doesn’t press espionage. For the girls sake…they werent spy. They were reporting.
I love Laura’s work and wish her and her friend well.
As for crossing the NK border; the NK’s are well known for kidnapping people and they could have just as well as snatched them while they were standing right on the border but not cross it.
None of us really know the situation as the source of the reports is seriously tainted and those in the know have their lips zipped. So before wishing them ill for stepping across the border, let’s be sure they did it.
And if they did, wish them well anyway. Treat them like they are Mexicans coming into the US and give them a job.