US calls on North Korea to release journalists
April 25th, 2009 - 2:52 am ICT by IANSWashington, April 25 (DPA) The US called on North Korea to release the two American journalists who are facing criminal charges in the Stalinist state.
“We continue to call on the North Koreans to release the two Americans so they can be returned to their families,” State Department acting spokesman Robert Wood said.
North Korea announced Friday the two journalists, Korean-American Euna Lee and Chinese-American Laura Ling, will face charges of “hostile acts”, including illegally entering the country across the Chinese border.
The two woman were arrested near the border March 17 while working for the news channel Current TV, which was co-founded by former vice president Al Gore.
The US was working for their release through the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang. The US and North Korea do not have formal diplomatic relations.
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Tags: acting, al gore, american journalists, chinese american, chinese border, criminal charges, current tv, formal diplomatic relations, former vice president, hostile acts, korean american, laura ling, march 17, north korea, north koreans, pyongyang, spokesman, stalinist state, state department, swedish embassy
