Journalists Face Hellish Sentence in Korean Gulag

(NEWSER) - The "shocked and devastated" families of two San Francisco journalists sentenced to 12 years hard labor in North Korea have pleaded with authorities to show compassion and free the women from a grueling future behind bars. The families are concerned about the "wellbeing and mental state" of Euna Lee and Laura Ling, and said that Ling's 4-year-old daughter was "anguished," according to a joint statement. 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»

(NEWSER) - Today's warm embrace between Bill Clinton and Al Gore was just like old times, writes Adam Nagourney in the New York Times. The two have largely been on the outs since 2000, but they shared a "long and emotional hug" after Clinton's North Korean trip. While they've had spotty contact in recent years, Clinton readily agreed to the mission when Gore called 10 days ago. And Gore was there leading the applause upon Clinton's return. More»