Report: North Korea Accepts Apology, Releases Journalists

2 years ago

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Woman Up Editor

Never underestimate the power of a former president. Expressing "sincere words of apology," Bill Clinton persuaded North Korean President Kim Jong Il to release two American journalists in Pyongyang Tuesday, the North Korea state media reported. Laura Ling and Euna Lee were arrested last March, while reporting for U.S. news outlet Current TV.

The two, who inadvertently crossed a stream bordering China into North Korea, were convicted of "hostile acts" and sentenced in June to 12 years of hard labor. The state news agency of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea announced "the measure taken to release the American journalists is a manifestation of the DPRK's humanitarian and peace-loving policy."

Hopefully it won't be a matter of some friction at the Clinton dinner table that last month Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, describing the two women as "remorseful," requested a grant of amnesty, but was refused. Her husband garnered what the North Koreans called a "special pardon."

CNN reported that the Korean government declined to accept similar overtures from the Obama administration to send Clinton's former Commerce Secretary, Bill Richardson, or former Vice President Al Gore to negotiate for release of the women. Gore is a founder of Current TV.

Filed Under: Woman Up

Tagged: bill clinton, BillClinton, kim jong il, KimJongIl, korea, top stories, TopStories

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