Journalists Laura Ling And Euna Lee Break Silence On North Korea Capture, Release 09/ 2/09 04:37 PM ET

Journalists Laura Ling And Euna Lee Break Silence On North Korea Capture, Release

LISA LEFF and HYUNG-JIN KIM   09/ 2/09 04:37 PM ET

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/01/journalists-laura-ling-an_n_274683.html

SAN FRANCISCO — Two American television reporters imprisoned in North Korea for months say communist soldiers "violently dragged" them back when they returned to Chinese soil after briefly crossing into the reclusive country.

In an article posted Tuesday on Current TV's Web site, Laura Ling and Euna Lee said they hesitantly followed their guide when he beckoned them across a frozen river into the North and were "firmly back" on the Chinese side when North Korean border guards grabbed them on March 17.

"We tried with all our might to cling to bushes, ground, anything that would keep us on Chinese soil, but we were no match for the determined soldiers," the journalists wrote in their most thorough account of the circumstances of their arrest. "They violently dragged us back across the ice to North Korea and marched us to a nearby army base, where we were detained."

At the time of their arrest, the two were reporting a story for San Francisco-based Current TV about North Korean women who were forced into the sex trade or arranged marriages when they defected to China. After their capture, Lee and Ling were sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for trespassing and "hostile acts" against North Korea.

The women were moved to a Pyongyang guesthouse and held there until the North pardoned them in early August after a landmark trip to Pyongyang by former President Bill Clinton.

2009 humanitarian mission to North Korea

Laura Ling was freed as result of the 2009 humanitarian mission to North Korea, William J. Clinton negotiated her release from North Korea, and is a journalist with Current TV.

Note: Euna Lee was freed as result of the 2009 humanitarian mission to North Korea, William J. Clinton negotiated her release from North Korea, and a journalist with Current TV.

Current TV is a division of Current Media, LLC.

Albert A. Gore Jr. is a co-founder & chairman for Current Media, LLC, the chairman for the Climate Reality Project, and a member of the Clinton Global Initiative.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Climate Reality Project, the Center for American Progress, the Aspen Institute (think tank), and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

George Soros is the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, a member of the Clinton Global Initiative, was a supporter for the Center for American Progress, and a contributor for the American Bridge 21st Century.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Center for American Progress, the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

John D. Podesta is the chair & counselor for the Center for American Progress, was a member of team for the 2009 humanitarian mission to North Korea, and a temporary CEO for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Stephen L. Bing provided the plane for the 2009 humanitarian mission to North Korea, a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, and a contributor for the American Bridge 21st Century.

Melody C. Barnes was the EVP for the Center for American Progress, the domestic policy council, director for the Barack Obama administration, and is Barack Obama’s golf partner.

Ezekiel Emanuel is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, Rahm I. Emanuel’s brother, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and was the health care policy adviser for the Barack Obama administration.

Rahm I. Emanuel is Ezekiel Emanuel’s brother, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, the Chicago (IL) mayor, was the White House chief of staff for the Barack Obama administration, and the finance director for the 1992 Bill Clinton presidential campaign.

Commercial Club of Chicago, Members Directory

http://commercialclubchicago.org/members/e.html

Please note: This link for the members of the Commercial Club of Chicago can no longer be found.

Roger A. Band is an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and was a member of team for the 2009 humanitarian mission to North Korea.

James L. Jones Jr. was the Obama administration liaison for the 2009 humanitarian mission to North Korea, the national security adviser for the Barack Obama administration, and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

William J. Clinton led the team for the 2009 humanitarian mission to North Korea, negotiated Laura Ling & Euna Lee’s release from North Korea, is the founding chairman for the Clinton Global Initiative, and the founder of the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Kim Jong Un is the leader of North Korea, and met with Dennis Rodman in 2013.

Dennis Rodman met with Kim Jong Un in 2013, and was a player for the Chicago Bulls.

Henry Crown and Company is an investor for the Chicago Bulls.

James S. Crown is the president for Henry Crown and Company, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Lester Crown is the chairman for Henry Crown and Company, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Susan Crown is the VP for Henry Crown and Company, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and was a trustee at the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank), and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

George Soros is the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, and the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

James L. Jones Jr. is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), was the national security adviser for the Barack Obama administration, and the Obama administration liaison for the 2009 humanitarian mission to North Korea.