North Korea jails US journalists

BBC Learning English
Words in the News
8th June 2009
North Korea jails US journalists
Words in the News © British Broadcasting Corporation 2009
Page 1 of 2
bbclearningenglish.com

The US State department says it is deeply concerned about the fate of two American
journalists who have been found guilty in North Korea of 'hostile acts' against the country.
They were arrested in March by North Korean border guards. Chris Hogg reports.

American diplomats say they are using all possible channels to release the two journalists,
but the reality is it's not going to be easy. The United States and North Korea don't have
diplomatic relations. Messages are passed using officials from third countries. The North
Korean leader, Kim Jong-il has wanted direct talks with the United States for years, and may
use the two Americans, Euna Lee and Laura Ling as 'bargaining chips' to try to win
concessions from Washington.

Guards from the North arrested the pair while they were working near the country's border
with China on March 17th. They have now been convicted of hostile acts against the country,
and entering the North illegally. They face the prospect of being sent to one of the North's
prison camps. The US State Department has described conditions in these institutions as
'harsh' and 'life threatening'.

Before the verdicts came in, the US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton had described the
charges against the two women as 'baseless' and said they should be allowed to return home.
She is thought to be exploring the possibility of sending an envoy to try to secure their release.
There's been speculation in recent days that the former US vice president Al Gore might
travel to Pyongyang. He's the co-founder of the media company the two women work for.

Chris Hogg, BBC News, Seoul


Words in the news © British Broadcasting Corporation 2009
Page 2 of 2
bbclearningenglish.com

Vocabulary and definitions

all possible channels every method they can think of to communicate
diplomatic relations an arrangement between two countries where each has a
representative in the other country
direct talks an opportunity for 1-2-1 discussion without another person
or party being there
bargaining chips something which someone else wants that you are willing
to lose in order to reach an agreement
win concessions gain special rights or favours
convicted of hostile acts found guilty of actions that might damage a country, its
people or its buildings
harsh unnecessarily severe
life-threatening could cause death
baseless not based on facts
an envoy someone who is sent as a representative from one
government to another

More on this story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/8088601.stm

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