ID :
60697
Fri, 05/15/2009 - 08:25
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/60697
The shortlink copeid
Clinton urges N. Korea to free American journalists By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, May 14 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Thursday called on North Korea to immediately release the two American journalists it has been detaining for allegedly entering the country illegally, but hoped the North's decision to try them next month signaled their early release.
"We believe that the charges are baseless and should not have been brought, and
that these two young women should be released immediately," Clinton told
reporters. "The trial date being set we view as a welcome time frame. But the
fact that they are now going to have some process we believe is a signal that
there can be, and I hope will be, a resolution as soon as possible."
Clinton's remarks follow the recent release of another American journalist who
was convicted of espionage in Iran.
North Korea said earlier in the day that the reporters will be put to trial on
June 4 on charges of illegal entry and unspecified "hostile acts."
Euna Lee and Laura Ling -- both from Current TV, a San Francisco-based Internet
news outlet -- face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of "hostility toward
the Korean people" under the North Korean criminal code, unlike illegal entry,
which is punishable by a few years' imprisonment.
The journalists were reportedly taken by North Korean soldiers March 17 along the
Tumen River on the Chinese border while filming the North Korean side.
David Dadge, the head of the International Press Institute, also urged North
Korea to free the reporters following the example of Iran.
"Iran's trial of Roxana Saberi was a farce, but at least the appellate court did
the right thing in setting her free," Dadge said in a statement.
He called on North Korea to "avoid more political theater and do the same with
Euna Lee and Laura Ling, who are innocent victims of North Korea's desire to gain
political leverage in its ongoing negotiations with the United States."
Saberi, who worked freelance for news organizations including National Public
Radio and the British Broadcasting Corp., went on a hunger strike for two weeks
in her cell to protest her eight-year sentence. She was detained in January for
not possessing a proper press credentials.
U.S. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly also demanded the North set the
journalists free.
"We hope they can be returned to their families in the United States as soon as
possible," Kelly said in a daily news briefing. "We remain concerned about the
welfare of the American citizen journalists. We're in regular contact with the
families."
The spokesman, however, said that the U.S. has no immediate plans to send an
envoy to North Korea on the issue. "At this time, we're not contemplating anybody
going to Pyongyang," he said.
Some analysts say North Korea may try to use the reporters as a means of
establishing bilateral contact with the U.S. amid escalating tensions since its
rocket launch on April 5.
North Korea withdrew from the six-party talks -- involving South Korea, the U.S.,
China, Japan and Russia -- on ending its nuclear programs in response to the U.N.
Security Council's rebuke of the launch, which Pyongyang says was part of a
legitimate space program to orbit a satellite.
Pyongyang has also threatened to conduct further nuclear and ballistic missile
tests and restart its disabled nuclear facilities unless the Security Council
apologizes.
U.S. President Barack Obama last week expressed concerns about the American
journalists held in North Korea and Iran, saying he was "especially concerned
about the citizens from our own country currently under detention abroad:
individuals such as Roxana Saberi in Iran, and Euna Lee and Laura Ling in North
Korea."
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, before Saberi's release, wrote a letter to
the Iranian appeals court to urge it to be fair in handling her case.
The Swedish ambassador in Pyongyang last visited the American reporters on March 30.
"The Swedish ambassador has not had access to them since March 30," Kelly said.
"And of course, we call on North Korea to abide by all of its international
commitments including, of course, its commitment to allow consular access to
prisoners."
The Swedish embassy handles consular affairs involving American citizens in North
Korea, as Washington does not have diplomatic relations with the reclusive
communist state.
Two Americans were detained in North Korea briefly in the 1990s before being
released after visits to Pyongyang by Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, then a
U.S. congressman.
In 1994, North Korea detained a U.S. pilot whose military chopper was shot down
after straying across the border. Another American citizen, Evan Hunziker, was
held for three months in 1996 on suspicion of spying after swimming the Yalu
River bordering North Korea and China.
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
"We believe that the charges are baseless and should not have been brought, and
that these two young women should be released immediately," Clinton told
reporters. "The trial date being set we view as a welcome time frame. But the
fact that they are now going to have some process we believe is a signal that
there can be, and I hope will be, a resolution as soon as possible."
Clinton's remarks follow the recent release of another American journalist who
was convicted of espionage in Iran.
North Korea said earlier in the day that the reporters will be put to trial on
June 4 on charges of illegal entry and unspecified "hostile acts."
Euna Lee and Laura Ling -- both from Current TV, a San Francisco-based Internet
news outlet -- face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of "hostility toward
the Korean people" under the North Korean criminal code, unlike illegal entry,
which is punishable by a few years' imprisonment.
The journalists were reportedly taken by North Korean soldiers March 17 along the
Tumen River on the Chinese border while filming the North Korean side.
David Dadge, the head of the International Press Institute, also urged North
Korea to free the reporters following the example of Iran.
"Iran's trial of Roxana Saberi was a farce, but at least the appellate court did
the right thing in setting her free," Dadge said in a statement.
He called on North Korea to "avoid more political theater and do the same with
Euna Lee and Laura Ling, who are innocent victims of North Korea's desire to gain
political leverage in its ongoing negotiations with the United States."
Saberi, who worked freelance for news organizations including National Public
Radio and the British Broadcasting Corp., went on a hunger strike for two weeks
in her cell to protest her eight-year sentence. She was detained in January for
not possessing a proper press credentials.
U.S. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly also demanded the North set the
journalists free.
"We hope they can be returned to their families in the United States as soon as
possible," Kelly said in a daily news briefing. "We remain concerned about the
welfare of the American citizen journalists. We're in regular contact with the
families."
The spokesman, however, said that the U.S. has no immediate plans to send an
envoy to North Korea on the issue. "At this time, we're not contemplating anybody
going to Pyongyang," he said.
Some analysts say North Korea may try to use the reporters as a means of
establishing bilateral contact with the U.S. amid escalating tensions since its
rocket launch on April 5.
North Korea withdrew from the six-party talks -- involving South Korea, the U.S.,
China, Japan and Russia -- on ending its nuclear programs in response to the U.N.
Security Council's rebuke of the launch, which Pyongyang says was part of a
legitimate space program to orbit a satellite.
Pyongyang has also threatened to conduct further nuclear and ballistic missile
tests and restart its disabled nuclear facilities unless the Security Council
apologizes.
U.S. President Barack Obama last week expressed concerns about the American
journalists held in North Korea and Iran, saying he was "especially concerned
about the citizens from our own country currently under detention abroad:
individuals such as Roxana Saberi in Iran, and Euna Lee and Laura Ling in North
Korea."
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, before Saberi's release, wrote a letter to
the Iranian appeals court to urge it to be fair in handling her case.
The Swedish ambassador in Pyongyang last visited the American reporters on March 30.
"The Swedish ambassador has not had access to them since March 30," Kelly said.
"And of course, we call on North Korea to abide by all of its international
commitments including, of course, its commitment to allow consular access to
prisoners."
The Swedish embassy handles consular affairs involving American citizens in North
Korea, as Washington does not have diplomatic relations with the reclusive
communist state.
Two Americans were detained in North Korea briefly in the 1990s before being
released after visits to Pyongyang by Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, then a
U.S. congressman.
In 1994, North Korea detained a U.S. pilot whose military chopper was shot down
after straying across the border. Another American citizen, Evan Hunziker, was
held for three months in 1996 on suspicion of spying after swimming the Yalu
River bordering North Korea and China.
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
