Laura Ling put on trial by the North Korean government
June 4th, 2009 - 7:48 pm ICT by GDLaura Ling and Euna Lee, the two journalists working for San Francisco-based Current TV, were put on trial today (4th July, 2009) on the charges of entering the country illegally.
The two American journalists were arrested on March 17 while reporting a story on North Korean refugees and had been detained by the North Korean government since. They have been held with charges of “hostile acts against the state” and “illegal entry.”
Sending a ship to the waters of South Korea, the North Korean authorities started the trial of the two detained American journalists. This move has aggravated the existing tension between the Obama administration and North Korea. Just last month the North Koreans had carried out a nuclear device testing much to America’s consternation.
Earlier, 1st June to be precise, in an episode of “Nightline,” which was aired by ABC at 11:35 p.m., Lisa Ling, sister of Laura Ling, talked to the host of the show, Bob Woodruff. During the show she told Woodruff, “We’re talking about what seems to be a full-blown nuclear standoff, and my little sister and Euna Lee are seemingly in the midst of it, and we just felt like it was really time to try and urge our two countries to communicate on our issue and to separate it.” She further added, “Our issue is a humanitarian issue. We hope that our two countries that don’t have a diplomatic relationship can come together to resolve this and try and get the girls released.”
From the announcement of the trial dates, many vigils spanning across 10 cities have been carried out calling for the release of the two detainees.
- Lisa Ling's sister's trial scheduled on 4th June - Jun 02, 2009
- North Korea detains another US citizen - Apr 14, 2011
- North Korea confirms arrest of US citizen for illegal entry - Dec 29, 2009
- Bill Clinton lands in US with two freed journalists - Aug 05, 2009
- Candlelight vigils for US journalists held in North Korea - Jun 03, 2009
- Bill Clinton arrives in North Korea to secure release of Americans - Aug 04, 2009
- North Korea to try US journalists - May 14, 2009
- North Korea decides to indict two American reporters - Apr 24, 2009
- US hopeful of amnesty to American journalists arrested by North Korea - Jul 11, 2009
- Clinton leaves North Korea with two journalists (Second Lead) - Aug 05, 2009
- US journalist Ling names daughter after Bill Clinton - Jun 05, 2010
- North Korea wants to put US reporters on trial - Mar 31, 2009
- "Courage Under Fire": Documentary Pays Tribute To Journalists Who Showed It - Nov 13, 2009
- North Korea media: Former U.S. President Clinton arrives in Pyongyang for negotiations - Aug 04, 2009
- Sentencing of journalists escalates North Korea-US tensions (Lead) - Jun 09, 2009
Tags: 4th july, american journalists, bob woodruff, consternation, current tv, hostile acts, humanitarian issue, illegal entry, korean authorities, korean government, korean refugees, laura ling, lisa ling, nightline, north korea, north korean, north koreans, nuclear device, nuclear standoff, obama