Responding to a Korea Central News Agency report that Euna Lee and Laura Ling have admitted crossing illegally into North Korea and trying to slander the state, we released the following statement today…
“These two journalists were convicted after a trial that was not open to international observers. There has been no transparency in the way North Korea has treated them and this report does not mitigate our concerns about their well-being,” said Bob Dietz, CPJ Asia program coordinator. “At the same time we are hopeful that these latest developments pave the way for the release of these journalists on humanitarian grounds.”