North Korea decides to indict two American reporters
April 24th, 2009 - 2:46 pm ICT by ANINew York, Apr 24 (ANI): North Korea today said that it has decided to indict two US journalists who have been detained for more than five weeks on charges of illegally entering the country and committing “hostile acts.”
“Our related agency has completed its investigation of the American journalists. It has formally decided to put them on trial based on confirmed criminal data,” North Korea’s state-run news agency, KCNA, reported.
The reporters, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, work for Current TV, a San Francisco-based media company founded by Al Gore, the former vice president, The New York Times reported.
They were arrested by the North Korean military on March 17 on the border between China and North Korea. They had been in China reporting on the North Korean refugees who fled hunger at home and were living in hiding in China.
The news agency did not say specifically what charges the journalists would face. But North Korea officials said on March 31 that the reporters would be indicted on charges of “illegal entry” and perpetrating “hostile acts” against the Communist state.
Their indictment comes amid high tension between North Korea and the United States after the North launched a long-range rocket on April 5.
The United States pressed the United Nations Security Council to call for tightened sanctions on the North. (ANI)
- North Korea confirms arrest of US citizen for illegal entry - Dec 29, 2009
- North Korea wants to put US reporters on trial - Mar 31, 2009
- Bill Clinton arrives in North Korea to secure release of Americans - Aug 04, 2009
- Candlelight vigils for US journalists held in North Korea - Jun 03, 2009
- North Korea detains another US citizen - Apr 14, 2011
- North Korea to invite foreign experts for satellite launch - Mar 18, 2012
- Laura Ling put on trial by the North Korean government - Jun 04, 2009
- N. Korea may use detained US journalists as bargaining chips - Mar 26, 2009
- North Korea media: Former U.S. President Clinton arrives in Pyongyang for negotiations - Aug 04, 2009
- Clinton leaves North Korea with two journalists (Second Lead) - Aug 05, 2009
- US journalists get 12 years in North Korean labour camp - Jun 08, 2009
- Laura Ling and Euna Lee gets 12 years in jail - Jun 08, 2009
- Clintons continue to play key roles, even in the Obama era: NYT - Aug 05, 2009
- North Korea says US journalists face five years or more in a labour camp - Apr 25, 2009
- Swedish ambassador meets with U.S. journalists held in North Korea - Jun 24, 2009
Tags: al gore, american journalists, communist state, current tv, former vice president, high tension, hostile acts, illegal entry, indictment, kcna, korean refugees, laura ling, nations security council, new york times, news agency, north korea, north korean, run news, united nations security, united nations security council
