Laura Ling and Euna Lee | Backstage Pass with Lia Chang

Kim Jong-il has granted a special pardon to detained journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee by Lia Chang

this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, the two female American journalists, far left, and second right, head to a chartered plane carrying the homebound former President Bill Clinton at an airport in Pyongyang, capital of North Korea Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009. His mission accomplished, former President Bill Clinton left Pyongyang early Wednesday accompanied by American journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling after North Korean leader Kim Jong Il pardoned the women from their 12-year prison sentences. (AP Photo/Xinhua, Zhang Binyang)

Today is the day we have all been waiting for, detained journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee have been granted a special pardon by Kim Jong-il, due to the diplomatic tact of Ex-President Bill Clinton’s surprise visit to Pyongyang.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton greets U.S. journalists Laura Ling (in green) and Euna Lee (in red) as they board a chartered plane at an airport in Pyongyang August 5, 2009 in this photo released by China's official Xinhua News Agency. North Korea said on Wednesday it had pardoned the two jailed American journalists after Clinton met the reclusive state's leader Kim Jong-il, a move some analysts said could pave the way to direct nuclear disarmament talks. REUTERS/Xinhua/Zhang Binyang

American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee were detained in North Korea while on assignment for San Francisco-based Current TV – a media venture founded by former Vice President Al Gore on March 17, while they were shooting video along the China/North Korea border for a story they were working on about the trafficking of women in the region. They were stopped by North Korean border guards and arrested immediately thereafter. Both women were transported to Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, where they remained under arrest until their trial.

Their verdict in a closed trial was reached on June 8, and both women were sentenced to 12 years of reform through labor for illegal entry and grave crimes against the North Korean state.

Since the sentencing, the families have received calls, and during the second call in July, Laura told her sister Lisa Ling that she and Euna did violate North Korean law and confessed to all of the charges levied against them. They expressed deep regret for their actions and asked for continued support from our country and its citizens for their amnesty.

In a surprise move, ex-President Bill Clinton flew to Pyongyang yesterday, on a private humanitarian mission, to secure the release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee.

At the airport, he was greeted by Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly, and Kim Kye Gwan, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs.

He subsequently sat down with Kim Jong-il, who has now granted a special pardon to the two American journalists. Thanks Mr. Clinton. We look forward to seeing Laura and Euna soon.

Click hereReuters: North Korea’s Kim releases U.S. journalists: report
Tue Aug 4, 2009 3:21pm EDT for the full report on reuters.com.

7:34am EDT
LONDON (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has granted a “special pardon” to two jailed U.S. journalists which releases them from detention, the official KCNA news agency reported on Tuesday.

“Kim Jong-il issued an order of the chairman of the DPRK National Defense Commission on granting a special pardon to the two American journalists who had been sentenced to hard labor in accordance with Article 103 of the Socialist Constitution and releasing them,” KCNA said in a statement which carried a Pyongyang dateline.

Check out the website www.lauraandeuna.com, created by the families of Laura Ling and Euna Lee.

August 4, 2009
Categories: Laura Ling and Euna Lee, Politics . Tags: Asia/Pacific, Bill Clinton, Diplomacy, Kim Jong-il, Lia Chang, Politics, Press Freedom . Author: Lia Chang . Comments: Leave a Comment

KCNA Report: Bill Clinton has arrived in Pyongyang

Signs at a vigil in New York for journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who have been by sentenced by North Korea to 12 years hard labor in prison. Photo by Lia Chang

It is almost five months since American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee were detained in North Korea, while on assignment for San Francisco-based Current TV – a media venture founded by former Vice President Al Gore. On March 17, they were shooting video along the China/North Korea border for a story they were working on about the trafficking of women in the region. They were stopped by North Korean border guards and arrested immediately thereafter. Both women were transported to Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, where they remained under arrest until their trial.

Their verdict in a closed trial was reached on June 8, and both women were sentenced to 12 years of reform through labor for illegal entry and grave crimes against the North Korean state.

Today, the Korean Central New Agency (KCNA) reports that Bill Clinton has arrived in Pyongyang.

He was greeted by Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly, and Kim Kye Gwan, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs.

Clinton is in Pyongyang on a humanitarian mission to secure the release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, and bring them home.

Sign this petition to help bring Laura Ling and Euna Lee home.

Check out the website www.lauraandeuna.com, created by the families of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, to see how you can help to secure amnesty for the two women and help bring them home.

August 4, 2009
Categories: Laura Ling and Euna Lee . Tags: Asia/Pacific, Bill Clinton, Diplomacy, Lia Chang, Politics, Press Freedom . Author: Lia Chang . Comments: Leave a Comment

Former President Clinton to Visit North Korea Tuesday for Detained Journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee

Signs at a vigil in New York for journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who have been by sentenced by North Korea to 12 years hard labor in prison. Photo by Lia Chang

Today marks the 139th day since American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee were detained in North Korea.

On March 17, 2009, Laura Ling and and Euna Lee, two employees of San Francisco-based Current TV – a media venture founded by former Vice President Al Gore, were shooting video along the China/North Korea border for a story they were working on about the trafficking of women in the region. They were stopped by North Korean border guards and arrested immediately thereafter. Both women were transported to Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, where they remained under arrest until their trial.

A verdict in their closed trial was reached on June 8, and both Laura and Euna were sentenced to 12 years of reform through labor for illegal entry and grave crimes against the North Korean state.

An article in today’s edition of The Korea Herald reports that Ex-President Clinton is scheduled to visit North Korea on Tuesday to secure the release of detained American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee. According to Yonhap News, The Chosun Ilbo, citing an unidentified diplomatic source, reported that Clinton, husband of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, was on his way to Pyongyang on a chartered plane. Click here for the full report in The Korea Herald.

Sign this petition to help bring Laura Ling and Euna Lee home.

Check out the website www.lauraandeuna.com, created by the families of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, to see how you can help to secure amnesty for the two women and help bring them home.

August 3, 2009
Categories: Laura Ling and Euna Lee . Tags: Bill Clinton, detain journalists, Lia Chang, The Korea Herald . Author: Lia Chang . Comments: Leave a Comment

U.S. Calls for Journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee to be Returned Home as Quickly as Possible by Lia Chang

Signs at a vigil in New York for journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who have been by sentenced by North Korea to 12 years hard labor in prison. Photo by Lia Chang

Today marks the 129th day since American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee were detained in North Korea.

A verdict in their closed trial was reached on June 8, and both Laura and Euna were sentenced to 12 years of reform through labor for illegal entry and grave crimes against the North Korean state.

Since the sentencing, the families have received calls, and during the second call on July 7, Laura told her sister Lisa Ling that she and Euna did violate North Korean law and confessed to all of the charges levied against them. They expressed deep regret for their actions and asked for continued support from our country and its citizens for their amnesty.

Below are remarks by Philip J. Crowley, Assistant Secretary of State at the U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing today in Washington DC, stating that the U.S. calls for the journalists to be returned home as quickly as possible.

QUESTION: North Korea. Just on the journalists again, actually, I’m wondering if all this sort of war of words that’s been happening the last few days, is that affecting your efforts at all? Can you give us an update on what kind of communication, perhaps, the Swedish ambassador has had with them? And do you know about their whereabouts? Just a general kind of status report.
MR. CROWLEY: I’m not aware that there is any change. Obviously, we have made clear we would like to see the journalists returned home as quickly as possible. Our protecting power has had contact with the journalists regularly. I’m not sure it’s been recently, however.
QUESTION: But is it by phone, or can you elaborate on that? How do they –
MR. CROWLEY: I think it’s been a combination, but I don’t think there’s been contact in a few days.
QUESTION: And there – any U.S. consular access allowed whatsoever?
MR. CROWLEY: June 23rd is the last one.
QUESTION: June 23rd, and that was a phone call or a visit?
MR. CROWLEY: Yeah. I think –
MR. WOOD: It was a visit.
MR. CROWLEY: That was a visit, yeah.
QUESTION: A visit by the Swedish ambassador?
MR. CROWLEY: Yeah.
QUESTION: And can you also tell me are the girls in a penitentiary or are they in – what kind of circumstances are they in?
MR. CROWLEY: I would be reluctant to go in any kind of detail on that.

July 24, 2009 U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing

Check out the website www.lauraandeuna.com, created by the families of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, to see how you can help to secure amnesty for the two women and help bring them home.

July 24, 2009
Categories: Asian American Issues, Laura Ling and Euna Lee . . Author: Lia Chang . Comments: Leave a Comment

Jaeson Ma Writes Worldwide Prayer for Laura Ling and Euna Lee on 7/17

A prayer in unison throughout the world on the 4 month anniversary of their imprisonment…

As many of you know Euna Lee and Laura Ling were sentenced by the North Korean government on June 8, 2009 to 12 years of hard labor. The two journalists were captured and detained in North Korea on March 17, 2009.

The details of their capture and trial can be read in numerous articles and websites. The purpose of this blog is to ask all of you to join together on July 17th at 8:00pm PST to say in unison a meaningful and heartfelt prayer written by Jaeson Ma especially for this event.

We realize that many of you are already praying for these two brave women and are grateful. We believe a worldwide prayer being said at the same time will bring overwhelming strength and courage to Laura Ling, Euna Lee and their families, and clarity to the North Korean and United States governments to resolve this situation quickly to bring the woman home safely.

So please pass this prayer and the times on to all in your network. Lets have the technological wonder of the internet combine with our faith in GOD, and have this prayer reach across oceans, mountains and deserts to lift and sustain the spirits of Euna and Laura, and give guidance to the North Korean government.

Worldwide Prayer Dates and Times

California: July 17 @ 8:00 pm

New York: July 17 @ 5:00 pm

London: July 18 @ 4:00 am

North Korea: July 18 @ 12 noon

Worldwide Prayer

“Dear Heavenly Father,

We come to you in prayer and faith for our sisters Laura Ling and Euna Lee. Father, we ask you this day to answer our hearts cry that they would be quickly released from North Korean imprisonment and be safely returned home to their family and friends. We believe that Youoh God can do a miracle for them through the power of these prayers being said all over the world, at this very moment.

So we pray now in faith, in hope and with love that You would put it upon the hearts of the North Korean government to show mercy to these two journalists Laura and Euna to be released this day from their prison sentence.

Until their release Father please keep our dear sister Laura Ling healthy, healed and whole as she endures her chronic stomach ulcers. Also, please grant comfort, strength, and courage to their family members,their husbands, and Euna’s 4-year-old daughter waiting to see her mommy again.

We declare by faith and we stand in faith that they will be released soon! Lord, please make a way where there is no way. When one door has been shut, we believe You can open another. We hope against hope! God bless Laura Ling and Euna Lee for You love them with an undying love and look forward in faith for their safe return to America.

We pray all this in the precious name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.”

Written by Jaeson Ma

Edited by Diann Kitamura

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=107667812132

Check out the website www.lauraandeuna.com, created by the families of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, to see how you can help to secure amnesty for the two women and help bring them home.

July 17, 2009
Categories: Laura Ling and Euna Lee . Tags: Jaeson Ma . Author: Lia Chang . Comments: Leave a Comment

Lia Chang

Kim Jong-il has granted a special pardon to detained journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee by Lia Chang

KCNA Report: Bill Clinton has arrived in Pyongyang

Former President Clinton to Visit North Korea Tuesday for Detained Journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee

U.S. Calls for Journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee to be Returned Home as Quickly as Possible by Lia Chang

Jaeson Ma Writes Worldwide Prayer for Laura Ling and Euna Lee on 7/17

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