Special K Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Any of you guys keeping up on this story? North Korea is seriously asking for a beatdown with their recent shennanigans. I feel so badly for their families. (CNN) -- Two U.S. journalists who were detained in North Korea while covering the plight of defectors living along the China-North Korea border have been sentenced to 12 years in labor camps, the country's state-run media said Monday. The Central Court of North Korea sentenced Laura Ling and Euna Lee for the "grave crime they committed against the Korean nation and their illegal border crossing," the Korean Central News Agency said. As a result, the court sentenced the women to "12 years of reform through labor," meaning they will serve out their sentence in a labor camp. The U.S. State Department said it had seen the reports of the convictions and was trying to confirm it with Korean authorities. "We are deeply concerned by the reported sentencing of the two American citizen journalists by North Korean authorities, and we are engaged through all possible channels to secure their release," said spokesman Ian Kelley in a statement. "We once again urge North Korea to grant the immediate release of the two American citizen journalists on humanitarian grounds." Click on link for more... http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/06/08/nkorea.journalists/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinfan133 Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 unacceptable. This sort of crap should not be tolerated, we should bring the diplomacy hammer down hard for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgundy Burner Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 The Middle East is always a problem. North Korea is a dangerous situation though and it far outweighs any other hot spot concerns in the world. It's scary just thinking about it. It's just a matter of time before something really horrible happens and the U.S. will be in the thick of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldskool Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Sadly these two ladies will be used as bargaining chips in the international poker game known as the Korean Police Action that has been going on way to long. My thoughts and prayers go to them and to their families. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special K Posted June 8, 2009 Author Share Posted June 8, 2009 It's just a matter of time before something really horrible happens and the U.S. will be in the thick of it. Yeah, that's pretty much what I think about North Korea. They've been getting increasingly ballsy, it's just a matter of time now. Sadly these two ladies will be used as bargaining chips... Yep, that's exactly what their use is to the N. Korean government. I don't know what it is about this particular case, especially since N. Korea has a consistent track record with pulling this kind of crap, but its just really upset me and pissed me off. I guess a lot of it stems from the high publicity of this particular case and from watching the families interviewed on Larry King and seeing the absolute torture they are going through. Regardless of the reason, I really want us to go in and kick somebody's ass. I've pretty much reached my tolerance threshold for this dilly-dallying attitude prevalent in the international community where they officially "condemn" what Kim Jong Il and company are doing then they go on their merry little way. It's absolute nonsense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HogNose Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Any of you guys keeping up on this story? North Korea is seriously asking for a beatdown with their recent shennanigans. I feel so badly for their families. Yeah I saw Lisa Ling on Larry King talking about this situation...hopefully they can be freed somehow. The pressure needs to be amped up on this rogue nation or its just going to keep snowballing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoSkins561 Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 unacceptable. This sort of crap should not be tolerated, we should bring the diplomacy hammer down hard for this. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thiebear Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 The GULAG's should be enough to destroy the N.K. regime. Hyuk has drawn detailed diagrams of the gas chamber he saw. He said: 'The glass chamber is sealed airtight. It is 3.5 metres wide, 3m long and 2.2m high_ [There] is the injection tube going through the unit. Normally, a family sticks together and individual prisoners stand separately around the corners. Scientists observe the entire process from above, through the glass.' The United Nations = Fail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinInsite Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 So what's the deal, did these reporters have permission to enter NK or did NK just grab them like they did that Japanese movie director. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special K Posted June 8, 2009 Author Share Posted June 8, 2009 So what's the deal, did these reporters have permission to enter NK or did NK just grab them like they did that Japanese movie director. NK claims that they crossed into NK territory. Knowing what I know about NK, I don't believe a frickin word they say. The families said that when the 2 women left America for their reporting assignment, they had absolutely no intention of going into NK. They were doing a documentary about trafficking in China. My guess is that these women were near the NK border and guards crossed over onto the Chinese side and nabbed them. The whole thing is just absolutely outrageous. And I agree with Thiebear...in terms of dealing with rogue nations (well, and lots of other situations as well) the UN is one big bag of FAIL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Yeah, I love the idea of the UN, but the reality is next to worthless. I have some friends who are desperate to go to cover these places. Some of them even want to self finance to do it. For all the bashing reporters get, we all too often forget what they risk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDawg Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 It's like they're trying to bait us... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Seems like, in an ideal world, if these people were in China, legally, and NK thugs invaded China and kidnapped them, that China would have something to say about this. Not that I'm holding my breath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brave Little Toaster Oven Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Hopefully NK gets another angry letter informing them of how angry we are Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Lisa Ling, the sister of one of the 2 reporters and a somewhat famous reporter in her own right was on the Today show like a month ago. Basically, she pled with the NK's to release the 2, but also said her sister was too smart to commit any crimes out there. No doubt in my mind that the charges are bull**** and these 2 poor women are just being used a pawns in the North Koreans very strange game. I would love to see Hillary Clinton chokeslam Kim Jong Il. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zguy28 Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 People flee North Korea into China all the time because they are starving. China has started sending them back at which point many of them are executed. Its especially bad if they are Christians, which is in violation of State laws in the North. http://www.persecution.com.au/news.asp?pid=39&id=89 April 2008NORTH KOREA: Report Details Targeting of Christians In a report released this month by a U.S. government body, refugee testimonies confirm severe persecution of Christians throughout North Korea. In the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom's report, refugees said that Christianity remained a key factor in the interrogation of people repatriated from China to North Korea. Border guards reserved the harshest punishment for those who admitted having any contact with Chinese or South Korean Christians. The report, released 15 April, found that consequences are harsh for those found violating state policies on religion. "For example, recently many North Korean refugees have Bibles with them when they are repatriated," one refugee said. "If you get caught carrying a Bible, there is no way to save your life." Refugees interviewed said that punishment for owning a Bible could include execution and the imprisonment of "three generations" of the owner's family. Compass Direct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeanCollins Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Unbelievable, but the should've known better. There is something about work that involves a camera that makes people do things that would normally be against their better judgment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special K Posted June 8, 2009 Author Share Posted June 8, 2009 but also said her sister was too smart to commit any crimes out there. No doubt in my mind that the charges are bull**** and these 2 poor women are just being used a pawns Yeah, according to the families there is no way these women would have been dumb enough to cross over into NK territory or commit any crimes whatsoever...especially beings that they have husbands (and one of them has a 4 year-old child) waiting for them at home. When departing for their assignment, they did not express any intentions to cross into NK and just from what I've heard about their reporting credentials, I highly doubt they would be stupid enough to do so. I find it much more believable that NK saw an opportunity with these women to further their agenda on the international stage and use them as bargainning chips to deflect increasing diplomatic pressure being put on them by the international community. This entire "trial" pretty much proves that is and always was NK's intent in arresting these women. It's totally sick that they would use innocent civilians like this. I hate N. Korea and I hope they start being treated more seriously by the international community as the criminals that they are...or else this crap is going to continue snowballing. Unbelievable, but the should've known better. What do you mean they should have known better? They should have known better than to go shoot a documentary in China? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejaydana Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 It's not just 12 years, it's 12 years of "hard labor." Clearly N. Korea is doing this to draw the United States into dealing w/them on bigger issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinInsite Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Seems like, in an ideal world, if these people were in China, legally, and NK thugs invaded China and kidnapped them, that China would have something to say about this. Not that I'm holding my breath. Seriously what kind of security does the Chinese have along the border. I thought it would be complete fenced in to prevent the flow of refugees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special K Posted June 8, 2009 Author Share Posted June 8, 2009 It's not just 12 years, it's 12 years of "hard labor." Clearly N. Korea is doing this to draw the United States into dealing w/them on bigger issues. Oh definitely. The fact that they did this trial in secret, gave them the harshest sentence for the crimes they accused these women of, and tried these women in the highest court of the country thereby taking away any ability to appeal makes their intentions pretty transparent here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zguy28 Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Oh definitely. The fact that they did this trial in secret, gave them the harshest sentence for the crimes they accused these women of, and tried these women in the highest court of the country thereby taking away any ability to appeal makes their intentions pretty transparent here.I'm surprised they didn't just get shot by firing squad in the middle of a field. I've seen video of that happening to repatriated refugees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special K Posted June 8, 2009 Author Share Posted June 8, 2009 I'm surprised they didn't just get shot by firing squad in the middle of a field. I've seen video of that happening to repatriated refugees. Actually, I'm not surprised. North Korea is despicable, but they aren't stupid. This is a very calculated move on their part. The women would be no use to them if they were dead. By holding them captive, alive, they now have power to negotiate/strong arm international policy that would be more favorable for their country. I sincerely doubt these women will actually serve the entirety of their sentences...I doubt they will serve much of their sentences in fact. NK will just hold them over the U.S. and U.N.'s heads until they get what they want then they'll release them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejaydana Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 This should tell you how rational the exalted leader of North Korea is. Turns out he's an ace on the golf course as well: NOW that most of the free world recognizes North Korean "President" Kim Jong Il as a nuclear lunatic, it's worth noting that the sports free world got the jump on this guy years ago. It was in 2003 that North Korea's state-controlled news agency reported that Kim had played his first round of golf, finishing the 18 holes at 38 under par, which stands to reason given the 11 holes-in-one he made. Not bad for a beginner. The same news organization reported that "Dear Leader" typically has several holes-in-one every round he plays. Yeah, well he's streaky that way. North Korea at the time had only one course, a par-72 that played very long, 7,700 yards. So Kim, then 61, on that first day he played, routinely aced a few par fours and perhaps even a par five, to finish with a 38-under 34, or roughly 30 strokes better than the best pros on their best day. But the most preposterous part of it all was an exceptionally polite, benefit-of-the-doubt World Tribune report of Kim's golfing acumen. It referred to him as "easily the greatest golfer the world has ever seen," adding, "if the official government media is to be believed." Hey, you don't want to upset this guy. He could go nuclear, even start throwing clubs. Link: http://www.nypost.com/seven/05312009/sports/moresports/how_else_could_kim_jong_il_shoot_a_38_un_171842.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B.Lloyd Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Nuke them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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