| | "Missing home" in North Korea
I've been keeping close tabs on news of the two Asian-American journalists who were detained by North Korea near the NK-Chinese border. In March, the journalists, who work for Current TV (which Al Gore co-founded), were trying to interview refugees coming into China. But I guess they got too close to the border, or close enough for N. Korea to arrest them. They claim that Euna Lee & Laura Ling were spying via filming their lands.
Then there were reports that the women were undergoing "intense interrogation." Geez, that could mean anything. Even torture maybe? I wouldn't be surprised. At least the US State Dept. knows about this case, but we don't have diplomatic ties to N. Korea. So some Swedish diplomat was able to visit on our behalf and meet up w/ the journalists, but wouldn't comment (at least not publicly) on what he talked about, or what the women's conditions were.
And then N. Korea says that they're indicting the women for espionage charges or something like that. And that'll end up with them being thrown into jail for 20 years or so.
I'm sure the N. Koreans don't believe any of the crap they themselves spew out, but they want to be tough & intimidating on the int'l stage. So this is one way of doing it. Some analysts say that Lee & Ling won't actually be harmed, but they're now additional pawns of a big chess game that has been long played between the US and N. Korea. That's a pretty accurate assessment. I just hope that the journalists don't get harmed and get returned safe soon through diplomatic means. It's been done before -- but just after a long of wrangling and talks with the last relic of the Cold War.
I'm interested as anyone in hearing what refugees from N. Korea have to say about their experiences, but I think the journalists overstepped their risky bounds, unfortunately.
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| | Posted 4/16/2009 11:16 PM - 17 Views - 2 eProps - 1 Comment
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