US Journalists' Trial Begins in Secret

Pyongyang to put women on trial for alleged intent to commit 'hostile acts"

(NEWSER) - Two American journalists accused of entering North Korea illegally to commit unspecified "hostile acts" will face trial June 4, Reuters reports. Euna Lee and Laura Ling—who were working on a story for Current TV about the country's refugee crisis—have been detained by North Korea since they were seized by border guards in March. The US has been trying to secure their release through various channels, officials said. More»

Regime shuts out diplomats, refuses dialog with Washington

(NEWSER) - While media and diplomatic pressure on Iran seems to have won the release of Roxana Saberi, two other reporters held captive in North Korea for nearly two months are receiving far less attention, the Wall Street Journal reports. The plight of Euna Lee and Laura Ling has been overshadowed by the North's missile launch, and diplomats aren't making progress with a regime that has grown increasingly intransigent. More»

Laura Ling and Euna Lee describe their capture ordeal

(NEWSER) - The two American journalists detained for months in North Korea were on Chinese soil when they were seized by border guards, they write in Current.com. Laura Ling and Euna Lee say they were reporting on the human trafficking of North Korean refugees in China when their guide briefly brought them across a frozen river onto North Korean soil. They turned back across the ice and returned to the Chinese side, but were pursued by armed guards who hauled them back over the river. More»

Ling, Lee thank supporters in online video

(NEWSER) - Laura Ling and Euna Lee use a new video on Current TV's website to thank Americans “from the bottom of our hearts” for support during their North Korean captivity. “We learned about this grassroots movement on Facebook, about people writing in to their congressmen, to the president,” says Ling. They also learned of candelight vigils around the time of their trial. “We thought about those lights and they gave us hope.” More»

(NEWSER) - Journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling did in fact cross into North Korea while reporting from the border, Ling's sister tells CNN. "She did say that they touched North Korean territory very, very briefly," she says. "She said it was maybe 30 seconds. And then, you know, everything just sort of got chaotic." Lisa Ling says her sister plans to share her "very powerful story" soon. More»