North Korea's Grim Prisons: What Awaits the U.S. Journalists?

[Hot Mega]

By JENNIFER VEALE / SEOUL – 2 hrs 26 mins ago

Laura Ling and Euna Lee, the American journalists who were each handed 12 years in prison yesterday by a North Korean court for committing "hostile acts" by allegedly overstepping the border in March, have received a harsh sentence by western standards of justice. The news is grim, to be sure. But former prisoners in Pyongyang's horrific penal system speculate that the pair may not have to endure the grimmest conditions, which very few have emerged to talk about.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090609/wl_time/08599190357200;_ylt=Ang5bDki.n5S6603._pdgO5H2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTJzZ29pN2FiBGFzc2V0Ay90aW1lLzIwMDkwNjA5L3dsX3RpbWUvMDg1OTkxOTAzNTcyMDAEY3BvcwM2BHBvcwM2BHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcmllcwRzbGsDbm9ydGhrb3JlYXNn

I hope these two journalists return safely home but I gotta say, I hate the fact that they've injected themselves into a situation that causes our government to potentially shape our foreign policy around their irresponsible, illegal acts.

I hope they are returned home for political reasons but I don't have much sympathy for them.

 

[Jagger69]

It has also been speculated that the North Koreans may use them as some sort of diplomatic bargaining chip in the near future. They broke North Korean law and their punishment may certainly be seen as excessive but, as you stated, they kind of brought it on themselves.

I hope they can get out soon and safe.

 

[D-rock]

If I was determining foreign policy I might ask they be returned or treated well, but I just wouldn't let them be used as bargaining chips for anything but the most minor of things. It's harsh but that's the way it's got to be.

It's sad that conditions in North Korea can get that despicable. What's even worse is the fact that because they're Americans they could very well have it harder than normal. Considering how bad the "normal" is that's not good. If they even survive it, it’s not going to be a pleasant 12 years for them.

 

[Hot Mega]

It has also been speculated that the North Koreans may use them as some sort of diplomatic bargaining chip in the near future. They broke North Korean law and their punishment may certainly be seen as excessive but, as you stated, they kind of brought it on themselves.

I hope they can get out soon and safe.

Yep. The distinction between these two and Roxana Saberi is Saberi had a right to be in Iran and apparently broke no (real) laws. These two had no right to be in NK. Imagine if we continuously had rogue Americans putting the US in a situation of tempering our foreign policy in order to secure their releases through uneven deals.

 

[NavyBlue]

I hate the fact that these 2 journalists have put Obama in a tough spot, just when they need to toughen up against NK they have to scale back their rhetorics so these two won't get mistreated and be released early. I hope it'll only be matter of days if not weeks when we see their release. I doubt many people can make it out alive after 1 year in their labor camp, much less 12.

 

[laxe]

cockmeat sandwich