Senator Kevin O'Toole

June 10, 2009   

Contact: Brad Schnure / (609) 292-5199
Senator Kevin J. O'Toole

American Journalists Reporting from China-North Korea Border Charged, Convicted and Sentenced to 12 Years of Hard Labor

Senator Kevin O’Toole (R-40) has written letters to officials of both the United States and China appealing for their assistance in ongoing efforts to obtain the release of a pair of American journalists who were arrested, convicted and sentenced by North Korea to 12 years of hard labor. The reporters, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, were working on a story about the human trafficking of women across the China-North Korea border at the time of their arrest for committing what has only been described as a “grave crime” by the insular nation.

Click here to view a PDF containing the letters.

“The arrest of Ling and Lee by North Korea represents an unprovoked act of aggression against both the United States and China,” said O’Toole. “It is imperative that officials from both of our nations work together to secure the immediate release of these young women and to prevent such acts of aggression from reoccurring.”

It has been reported that Ling and Lee may have been detained by overzealous North Korean border guards who illegally crossed into Chinese territory to make the arrest. Other than vague statements issued by North Korea regarding the “grave crime” allegedly committed by the pair, there have been no claims that Ling and Lee violated any applicable Chinese laws while working near that nation’s border with North Korea.

Letters from O’Toole were sent to the Chinese Consulate in New York, President Barack Obama, Senator Robert Menendez and Senator Frank Lautenberg requesting their assistance in obtaining the release of Ling and Lee. Additionally, the Senator has requested that a resolution condemning the hostile actions of North Korea by prepared for consideration by the New Jersey Senate.

The text of the letter to the Chinese Consulate in New York follows:

June 10, 2009

Consul General Peng Keyu
Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in New York
520 12th Avenue
New York, NY 10036

Dear Sir:

It is with deep concern that I am contacting you to seek assistance in the matter of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, two American journalists who were arrested, convicted and sentenced to terms of imprisonment by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

As you are surely aware, Ling and Lee are properly credentialed journalists who were reporting from the People’s Republic of China from a location near your nation’s border with the DPRK. It has been reported that border guards of the DPRK may have entered Chinese territory illegally to detain Ling and Lee, in violation of the sovereign rights of the People’s Republic of China.

The DPRK has not released any details regarding the arrest of Ling and Lee, nor have they released details of the formal charges for which Ling and Lee were convicted. We do know, however, that these young women have been sentenced to 12 years of hard labor by the DPRK.

The detainment of American journalists on Chinese soil by the DPRK is an act of aggression that should be of concern to both the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China. It is my sincerest hope that the people of our great nations can work together to obtain the release of Ling and Lee, and to ensure that such acts of hostility against our nations are prevented in the future.

I respectfully request that the People’s Republic of China use all resources at its disposal to uncover the circumstances that led to the arrest of Ling and Lee, and help to arrange for their release.

Thank you for your consideration of my request. If I can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Respectfully,
Kevin O’Toole
New Jersey State Senator

cc: Barack Obama, President, United States of America; Robert Menendez, Member, United States Senate; Frank Lautenberg, Member, United States Senate

The text of the letter to President Obama follows (the letters to Senators Menendez and Lautenberg were substantially identical):

June 10, 2009

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear President Obama:

Enclosed please find correspondence that has been delivered to the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in New York.

The aforementioned correspondence requests the assistance of the People’s Republic of China in ongoing efforts to obtain the release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, American journalists who have been arrested, convicted and sentenced to terms of imprisonment by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

As I am sure you are aware, Ling and Lee were arrested by the DPRK while reporting from China on a story about the human trafficking of women across the Chinese-North Korean border. Published reports indicate that North Korean border guards may have illegally entered Chinese territory to detain Ling and Lee, who, by all accounts, operated within the confines of all applicable Chinese laws while in the performance of their duties.

It remains unclear whether Ling and Lee were detained illegally or of what crimes they were charged. It appears unlikely that they were afforded the opportunity to provide a legitimate legal defense to whatever crimes the DPRK alleges they committed.

The sentencing of Ling and Lee to 12 years of hard labor under such questionable circumstances is obviously a source of great concern.

Some, including this writer, know all too well the atrocities that the North Korean government can and have carried out. It is unthinkable that we would allow these young women to suffer the same fate as countless others at the hands of this brutal regime.

I have requested that a resolution condemning the actions of the DPRK be prepared for consideration by the New Jersey Senate.

Additionally, I respectfully request that you, as President of the United States of America, perform any actions and take any steps that you deem necessary to help obtain the safe and timely release of Ling and Lee.

Thank you for your consideration of my request. If I can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Respectfully,
Kevin O’Toole
New Jersey State Senator

Enclosure

American Journalists Reporting from China-North Korea Border Charged, Convicted and Sentenced to 12 Years of Hard Labor Senator Kevin O’Toole (R-40) has written letters to officials of both the United States and China appealing for their assistance in ongoing efforts to obtain the release of [...]