Posted on 06/08/2009 2:43:28 AM PDT by Scanian
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- North Korea's top court convicted two American journalists and sentenced them to 12 years in a prison Monday, intensifying the reclusive nation's confrontation with the United States.
The sentencing came amid soaring tensions fueled by the North's latest nuclear and missile tests. Many believe Pyongyang is using the journalists as bargaining chips as the U.N. debates a new resolution to punish the unpredictable country for its latest military threats.
In a cryptic two-sentence report, the North's state news agency said Laura Ling, 32, and Euna Lee, 36 were sentenced after the five-day trial ended Monday. They were guilty of a "grave crime" against the nation and of illegally crossing into North Korea, the Korean Central News Agency said.
The court "sentenced each of them to 12 years of reform through labor," said the report, without giving other details. The phrase refers to a prison term, according to Choi Eun-suk, a North Korean law expert at Seoul's University of North Korean Studies.
He said North Korean law calls for transferring convicts to prison within 10 days after verdict.
Ling and Lee, working for former Vice President Al Gore's California-based Current TV, cannot appeal because they were tried in North Korea's highest court, where decisions are final.
Some analysts believe negotiations will now begin that will likely lead to the journalists' release.
"North Korea refused to release them ahead of a court ruling because such a move could be seen as capitulating to the United States," said Hajime Izumi, professor of international relations and an expert on North Korea at the University of Shizuoka in Japan.
But now "North Korea may release them on humanitarian grounds and demand the U.S. provide humanitarian aid in return," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at breakingnews.nypost.com ...
Ling and Lee, working for former Vice President Al Gore’s California-based Current TV
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So what’s Algores take on the situation... and doesn’t Cankles realy despise him? I expect them to be forgotten and unmentioned in the mainstream media unless we send huge amounts of wheat to NK.
Twelve years in an NK prison is a death sentence, unless the feckless, toothless goons in the White House get them out of there. Meanwhile, Dear Leader will demand huge concessions, assuming - rightly - that the current administration will fold.
All the more vexing, in that these two silly girls were probably seized by NK thugs on the Chinese side of the border.
They are liberals. Who cares?
Yep, they are two of Al Gores little socialist skanks trying to stir up trouble because that is what cowards do. Good riddance to bad rubbish I say.
Kim Jong, work them 18 hours a day I say.
Funny if a bit maddening to watch the media put on its grim ‘how dare they’ face on this story while the death of servicemen gets a breezy treatment.
What the hell were they doing in N. Korea in the first place.?
Al Gore sent them , let Al Gore get them out. Maybe Al can buy their way out with a windmill. Maybe he can give them credit to buy carbon credits.
Ling and Lee, working for former Vice President Al GoreThat was their first mistake.
Their second mistake was going to N Korea with those last names, which I assume signifies Korean ancestry. Asian commie states like N Korea and China really hate it when Americans who share their ethnic heritage are critical of their murderous policies.
That’s not as bad as the 24 years William Pollard has spent so far in a U.S. jail for sharing classified documents or information with our ally, Israel.
We don’t even know how much longer he will be so unfairly incarcerated.
Pollard was a REAL spy. I don’t care who he was spying for. He broke his oath, he broke the law, he shoud rot in jail for it.
“Pollard was a REAL spy. I don’t care who he was spying for. He broke his oath, he broke the law, he shoud rot in jail for it.”
I don’t agree. Israel is an ally.
William Pollard is serving a just sentence. And actually they should have hanged him.
While Isreal is a friend they have given our tech to other non-friendly countries.
Oh, so if you spy for somebody you think is an ally, then it’s okay.
So if I rob a bank and give the money to a nice person, it’s okay too.
Also: Have you ever heard of a false flag operation, where a dupe spies for an enemy posing as a friend?
And who gets to determine who it’s “okay” to spy for? The spy?
Doesn’t work that way.
Maybe they could come over to NYC and grab up some of the Times staff? Please?
“U.S. provide humanitarian aid in return”
Paper tiger. Some here have said NK could pose a threat to SK. Hardly. They can’t even feed themselves.
“I don’t agree. Israel is an ally.”
The law doesn’t say, “Thou shall not divulge secrets...except to allies.” He screwed the pooch and deserves his reward.
The secrets Pollard stole eventually ended up in the hands of the ChiComs.
But the other side of this argument is that NOW the media are concerned, and more likely to support an attack. While there is little possibility of us being able to find spring these women in a place like North Korea, an Osirak type air raid would bring Obama an immediate poll boost. We would then trade a cease-fire for release of the prisoners.
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