We released a statement today after the families of two U.S. journalists being held in North Korea spoke publicly for the first time. The families of Current TV journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee appeared on NBC’s “Today” show this morning. Our statement follows:
“We hope North Korea and the United States and all the other parties to the conflict on the Korean Peninsula can clear their way through more than five decades of animosity to come together to see that these two journalists are reunited with their families. Their families’ plea for their freedom has made it clear that they were only doing their jobs as reporters, and had no intention of violating North Korea’s laws,” said Bob Dietz, CPJ’s Asia program coordinator.