North Korea wants to put US reporters on trial
March 31st, 2009 - 12:17 pm ICT by IANSSeoul, March 31 (DPA) North Korea wants to put two detained US journalists on trial on charges of illegal entry and suspected “hostile acts”, state-run media said Tuesday.
Authorities were already working on an indictment on “the basis of the already confirmed suspicions”, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
The two women, Korean-American Euna Lee and Chinese-American Laura Ling, were arrested two weeks ago by guards at the Chinese-North Korean border where they were working on a story.
“The illegal entry of US reporters into the DPRK (North Korea) and their suspected hostile acts have been confirmed by evidence and their statements,” KCNA said.
The two journalists are granted access to consular services, the report added. A date for the trial has not been set.
US media, quoting the US State Department, said a Swedish diplomat was able to talk to the two women on the weekend. The US and North Korea have no formal diplomatic relations.
Lee and Ling were collecting information on North Koreans fleeing their country and were visiting a spot on the border where many refugees flee to China.
- North Korea to try detain two US journalists on June 4 - May 14, 2009
- North Korea to try detained US journalists (Lead) - Apr 24, 2009
- North Korea to try US journalists - May 14, 2009
- US journalists get 12 years in North Korean labour camp - Jun 08, 2009
- US calls on North Korea to release journalists - Apr 25, 2009
- Clinton leaves North Korea with two journalists (Second Lead) - Aug 05, 2009
- Bill Clinton lands in US with two freed journalists - Aug 05, 2009
- North Korea says US journalists face five years or more in a labour camp - Apr 25, 2009
- US journalists 'face 10 years hard labour' in North Korea - Apr 02, 2009
- North Korea detains two US journalists (Lead) - Mar 19, 2009
- US journalists admit to smear campaign, says North Korea - Jun 16, 2009
- North Korea detains another US citizen - Apr 14, 2011
- North Korea confirms arrest of US citizen for illegal entry - Dec 29, 2009
- Sentencing of journalists escalates North Korea-US tensions (Lead) - Jun 09, 2009
- North Korea decides to indict two American reporters - Apr 24, 2009
Tags: central news agency, chinese american, consular services, dprk, formal diplomatic relations, hostile acts, illegal entry, indictment, kcna, korean american, korean central news, korean central news agency, laura ling, north korea, north koreans, seoul, suspicions, swedish diplomat, two women, us state department
