Obama sends Bill Clinton to North Korea to discuss release of journalists

  Former president Clinton arrives in Pyongyang (AP Photo/Xinhua, Zhang Binyang

Bill Clinton arrived in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang on Tuesday in an attempt to obtain the release of two American journalists imprisoned within the country. Clinton traveled in an unmarked plane in an attempt to keep the mission low-key. For now, the details of this mission are being kept confidential by the White House so as not to derail any possible success.

In March, the two journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, were caught by North Korean authorities and accused of sneaking into North Korea illegally. They were found guilty by a North Korean court of “grave crimes” and “slander” against the country and in June they were sentenced to 12 years of hard labor. Both journalists work for Current TV, a media company which was co-founded by former Vice-President Al Gore. The Obama administration has been attempting to have North Korea grant amnesty, a forgiveness of their actions, and release them.

Although the White House confirmed that Clinton was in North Korea, it would not comment on the specifics of Clinton’s mission. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs stated, "While this solely private mission to secure the release of two Americans is on the ground, we will have no comment. We do not want to jeopardize the success of former President Clinton's mission."

Clinton was most likely selected due to his administration’s successful negotiations with North Korea to free captive Americans. It was also during Clinton’s administration in 1994 that under Kim Jong Il’s father, Kim Il Sung, North Korea agreed to suspend its plan to develop nuclear research, an agreement which Kim Jong Il later discarded in 2003. 
 

Copyright © 2009 by Raymond Gellner