Journalists Sentenced to 12 Years Labor in North Korea

Laura Ling and Euna Lee, two American journalists that were jailed in North Korea in March, were sentenced to 12 years of labor on Monday by the Pyongyang Central Court.

The official North Korean Central News Agency reported: "The trial confirmed the grave crime they committed against the Korean nation and their illegal border crossing."

Experts have been quick to say that based on past experiences, despite the harsh ruling, there will likely be swift political negotiations for their release.

"The verdict does not mean much, since they will get released," said Andrei Lankov to the Washington Post. Lankov is an expert on North Korea who teaches at Kookmin University in Seoul. "Unfortunately, right now the North Koreans want to keep tensions high, so it will take many months and perhaps a year or more before the Pyongyang authorities will decide that it's time to make some friendly gesture to Washington."

In an unusual move, North Korea has allowed the detained journalists to telephone their families, further evidence that they will likely be released. Sweden's ambassador to North Korea has also been allowed to visit with the journalists on three occasions and pass letters from them to their families.

The journalists were reporting for Current TV, a cable and Internet network founded by former vice president Al gore. They were detained on March 17 on the border between North Korea and China. It's possible Gore would travel to North Korea to negotiate their release.

In 1996, New Mexico's governor Bill Richardson traveled to North Korea and successfully negotiated the release of Evan Hunziker, a American man who got drunk and swam to North Korea from China and was detained.

The New York Times characterized this situation the best:

Some analysts say that North Korea’s recent bellicosity has been driven by domestic political considerations. Kim Jong-il, the nation’s leader, is ailing and reportedly preparing to hand power to his youngest son. Mr. Kim may thus be attempting to secure the support of hardline generals who consider a goodwill gesture toward Washington capitulation. The heavily armed, secretive state -- in the throes of a succession process, as the country's ailing leader prepares to hand power over to his youngest son -- launched a long-range missile in April, detonated a nuclear bomb in May and has renounced the truce that ended the Korean War. On Monday, North Korea warned fishermen and boat captains to stay away from the country's east coast, Japan's coast guard said. The North is planning to launch several medium-range missiles from the region, according to reports in the South Korean press.

For more information about Euna Lee and Laura Ling, visit Liberate Laura & Euna Now and on Facebook.