You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
China-Japan-Koreas
North Korea 'to try US reporters'
2009-03-31
Two US journalists detained in North Korea are to face trial on charges of illegal entry and hostile acts, a state-run news agency has reported.

Euna Lee, a Korean-American, and Laura Ling, a Chinese-American, were seized along the Chinese border on March 17. The two journalists were working for Current TV, an online media company run by Al Gore, the former US vice-president, when they were detained.

"The illegal entry of US reporters into the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] and their suspected hostile acts have been confirmed by evidence and their statements," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Tuesday.
So the 'smart diplomacy' that Bambi brought to Washington hasn't unclenched the Nork fists ...
The KCNA report did not specify what was meant by "hostile acts" and did not say when they might appear in court. "The organ is carrying on its investigation and, at the same time, making a preparation for indicting them at a trial on the basis of the already confirmed suspicions," it said.

The US said on Monday that a Swedish envoy acting on behalf of Washington had visited the two journalists, but gave no details of their condition.
Were the two reporters just being stoopid when they were captured, or were they lured over to the Nork side of the border? It's an awfully convenient time for the Norks to pinch two Americans.
Posted by:Fred

#16  Can't they get reporters of their own?
Posted by: Skidmark   2009-03-31 23:27  

#15  ooooh Pappy, that's cheatingly good. Damn
Posted by: Frank G   2009-03-31 21:42  

#14  LRRP: Nancy Pelosi and her faithful steed Gulfstream 5.
Posted by: ed   2009-03-31 21:42  

#13  OPSEC: Patrick Leahy
Posted by: Pappy   2009-03-31 21:18  

#12  Medic: Dr. Geo Tiller
Posted by: Besoeker   2009-03-31 17:14  

#11  Mess Sergeant: Iron Chef with MRES and red cabbage
Posted by: GirlThursday   2009-03-31 17:10  

#10  Light comic relief...Roland Burris.
Posted by: Seafarious   2009-03-31 16:53  

#9  Covert Comms: Jim McDermott
Posted by: Frank G   2009-03-31 16:34  

#8  Whoa I just hada crazy idea! Create an A-Team: Commander: JF Kerry
XO: John Murtha
Weapons: Al (1k yard stare) Gore
Intel: Valerie Plame
Driver: Teddy (waterboard) Kennedy
Add more if you can think of them.....
They should be able to rescue those poor women.
Posted by: Cyber Sarge   2009-03-31 16:05  

#7  Send in an extraction team- model it after the Unit episode where Jonas and the boyz swoop in by submarine to extract...drumroll, this time.......the ladeez.

That could make for some really journalishy journalism.

Bottom line though, is that Norks shouldnt be phunking with Americans, no matter what their politics. God, I hate North Korea.
Posted by: GirlThursday   2009-03-31 15:26  

#6  I'm jealous. I've been wanting to try these treasonous bastards for years and now the Norks have the first go at it.

Lucky.
Posted by: DarthVader   2009-03-31 13:10  

#5  Some reports I've read are that they were on Chinese territory when the NorKs grabbed them.

At any rate, Kimmie's got his human shields to ensure America won't do jack shit when he fires his whatever next week.

A person more cynical than myself might entertain the possibility that these two journos were dispatched specifically to get caught and for that precise purpose, but I am probably not quite that cynical.

A person that would be about as skeptical as myself, however, would certainly question the timing.
Posted by: Seafarious   2009-03-31 13:06  

#4  This probably made it a lot easier for them to observe Earth Hour...
Posted by: tu3031   2009-03-31 10:40  

#3  an online media company run by Al Gore

Well I guess that is one way to lower your carbon footprint... Gulag residents are not known for their carbon footprint.
Posted by: CrazyFool   2009-03-31 09:11  

#2  Keep em.
Posted by: Cyber Sarge   2009-03-31 09:07  

#1  I'd put it on reporters being stupid. They were liberals, and undoubtedly thought they were surrounded by a golden halo of "I'm an American". They're probably cursing the US government now for doing nothing to help, ha ha.
Posted by: gromky   2009-03-31 07:10  

00:00