Journalists detained in North Korea
I heard the news that two American Journalists were detained a few days ago in North Korea. North Korea sentenced them Monday to 12 years of hard labor for crossing into its territory, intensifying the reclusive nation's confrontation with the United States. Lee, 36, is Korean-American and speaks Korean, but it is not clear how well. She lives in California with her husband and 4-year-old daughter Hannah. Ling, 32, is Chinese-American and a native of California.
I was particularly shocked about this news because one of the Journalist who was detained was a sibling of a well known TV host, Lisa Ling. She is National Geographic "Explorer" TV journalist Lisa Ling. So I saw her many times on Oraph and news segments on current affairs before.
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 TV media venture mentioned.
According to a foreign journalist who visited NK, he says each year, scores of journalists are invited to cover everything from glitzy festivals to picturesque mountain resorts and showcase factories. But everyone must obey the rules. The rules are constantly changed to make spontaneous exchange with ordinary citizens very difficult.
Cell phones and GPS's are a no-no, trips to the countryside without permission are almost always forbidden, with the occasional but rare exception. Most journalists are shepherded by a guide wherever they go, which is usually to view monuments of Kim Jong il and his deceased dad.
While residents of Pyongyang are less afraid to interact with foreigners than, say, a decade ago, they "won't speak to journalists without permission,". Even at the joint South and North Korean industrial complex at Kaesong, just north of the Demilitarized Zone, journalists don't really expect to land interviews with regular North Koreans.
Many people here in the states or anywhere in the world know very little about North Korea except that its dictator 'Kim Jung Il'. Kim Jung il took power over in 1994 when his father, Kim il Sung, died at age of 82.
I heard the news that two American Journalists were detained a few days ago in North Korea. North Korea sentenced them Monday to 12 years of hard labor for crossing into its territory, intensifying the reclusive nation's confrontation with the United States. Lee, 36, is Korean-American and speaks Korean, but it is not clear how well. She lives in California with her husband and 4-year-old daughter Hannah. Ling, 32, is Chinese-American and a native of California.
I was particularly shocked about this news because one of the Journalist who was detained was a sibling of a well known TV host, Lisa Ling. She is National Geographic "Explorer" TV journalist Lisa Ling. So I saw her many times on Oraph and news segments on current affairs before.
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 TV media venture mentioned.
According to a foreign journalist who visited NK, he says each year, scores of journalists are invited to cover everything from glitzy festivals to picturesque mountain resorts and showcase factories. But everyone must obey the rules. The rules are constantly changed to make spontaneous exchange with ordinary citizens very difficult.
Cell phones and GPS's are a no-no, trips to the countryside without permission are almost always forbidden, with the occasional but rare exception. Most journalists are shepherded by a guide wherever they go, which is usually to view monuments of Kim Jong il and his deceased dad.
While residents of Pyongyang are less afraid to interact with foreigners than, say, a decade ago, they "won't speak to journalists without permission,". Even at the joint South and North Korean industrial complex at Kaesong, just north of the Demilitarized Zone, journalists don't really expect to land interviews with regular North Koreans.
Many people here in the states or anywhere in the world know very little about North Korea except that its dictator 'Kim Jung Il'. Kim Jung il took power over in 1994 when his father, Kim il Sung, died at age of 82.
Kim Jong-il assumed title of grand secretary of the Workers' Party and he is the chairman of the National Defence Commission, but does not take title as president. Instead he calls himself, "Great Leader" or the eternal president. Most of the time the people of North Korea are brainwashed and educated that Kim Jung Il will take care of them and lead them to victory over any warfare particulary, with the U.S.
North Korean people are very strickly monitored and do not have much freedom. Politically, Pyongyang has accused successive South Korean governments of being US "puppets" continously. I do feel remorse toward the majority of the North Korean people because they do desperately need more humanitarian needs for basic supplies to survive like food, bread, rice and electricity and daily goods we usually take for granted.
So far, Pyongyang has already ignored two overtures by the Obama Administration. Even for Obama, Talks with Kim Jong-il may be a Mission Impossible.
Source: TIMES
North Korean people are very strickly monitored and do not have much freedom. Politically, Pyongyang has accused successive South Korean governments of being US "puppets" continously. I do feel remorse toward the majority of the North Korean people because they do desperately need more humanitarian needs for basic supplies to survive like food, bread, rice and electricity and daily goods we usually take for granted.
So far, Pyongyang has already ignored two overtures by the Obama Administration. Even for Obama, Talks with Kim Jong-il may be a Mission Impossible.
Source: TIMES
I too was shocked at this news. 12 years hard labor for an unnamed "major offense?!" Sounds like a power ploy for attention to me. Very sad. Let's all hope that Hannah's mom and her co-worker are released safely soon!
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