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Lisa Ling: Sister Sentenced In North Korea, Ex-View Host Reacts
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by Yuliya Talmazan | June 8, 2009 at 02:32 pm
983 views | 14 Recommendations | 1 comment
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NY Vigil for Detained Journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee by Lia Chang
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Ex-View host Lisa Ling had no immediate comment on her sister's imprisonment in North Korea, but she pleaded for lenience toward her jailed sister, who she says has medical problems.
Lisa Ling, the sister of jailed journalist Laura Ling, spoke out about her sister's detainment and jailing in North Korea. Today it was announced that Laura Ling of CurrentTV along with colleague Euna Lee got sentenced for 12 years in North Korea's hard labor camps -- one of the most repressive and inhumane penal systems in the world. North Korea says the two women were arrested on charges of “grave crimes against Korean Nation."
Lisa Ling had no immediate comment about today's news of her sister's sentence. Yet, she was pressing publicly for her sister's and Euna Lee's release last week.
The families of Lee, 36, and Ling, 32 — sister of National Geographic "Explorer" TV journalist Lisa Ling, who pressed publicly for their release last week — had no immediate comment, spokeswoman Alanna Zahn said from New York.
Lisa Ling did plead for lenience toward the two journalists earlier this week, saying neither one of them meant any harm. Ling had communication with her sister through a letter that Laura Ling sent to her family before today's announcement. Laura and Lisa Ling also had a phone conversation, which made Lisa think the two women were absolutely terrified.
Lisa Ling said that her sister Laura is suffering from an ulcer and Euna Lee has a 4-year-old daughter to take care of.
Lisa Ling, who in a blog entry described "the feeling of utter isolation" she experienced during a 2005 trip to North Korea, had pleaded for leniency. She said neither journalist intended to cross into North Korea and her younger sister suffered from an ulcer requiring medical treatment, while Lee was the mother of a 4-year-old, Hannah.
[q url="http://www.news8.net/news/stories/0609/628364.html"]Ling says she has received just one letter from her imprisoned sister. "When I first got here I cried so much," the letter read. "Now I cry less. I try very hard not to think about the possible negative outcomes, but sometimes it's hard not to."
Just last week, Laura Ling was allowed to call home. "She essentially said, 'Look, the only thing that could help us is if our two countries communicate,'" said Ling. "They are absolutely terrified -- that I can tell you for sure."
Previous NP coverage here.
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Yuliya Talmazan
Burnaby, Canada
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (1)
at 00:56 on July 19th, 2009
when i read the story, i was devastated i cant believe they would do that to the women, they are trying to make an example out of the womena i believe because she is lisa ling sister. i hope they can find some type of resolution for both sides. twelve years is very harsh for their first time.their are kids in the picture by the time she get out her daughter will be a teen, she wont know her daughter at all and thats horrible. the whole situation is crazy. korea knows what they are doing. they are doing it because they know they can. i have been following the case since it was told, and i myself hav been preying for their return home. it have to be something they want in exchange. i was thinking maybe weapons. what if the girls found out something they shouldnt had.