2nd LD) N. Korea to try American journalists for illegal entry, hostile acts: KCNA

((ATTN: UPDATES throughout with remarks by State Department official, Seoul's legal
advisor, official on N.K. criminal law)
WASHINGTON/SEOUL, March 31 (Yonhap) -- North Korea will put to trial two American
journalists detained in a border region earlier this month on charges of illegal
entry and hostile acts, the country's state news agency said Tuesday.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said preparations are underway to indict
the female reporters but did not say when a trial would open.
North Korea is reportedly planning on a satellite launch within days, which
neighboring countries say could be cover for testing its long-range missile
technology.
"The illegal entry of U.S. reporters into the DPRK and their suspected hostile
acts have been confirmed by evidence and their statements, according to the
results of intermediary investigation conducted by a competent organ of the
DPRK," the North's report said, referring to the country by its official name,
the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Seoul officials said such an announcement is unusual for North Korea, which has
resolved previous detention cases through negotiations under the table. The
report emphasized the safety of the detained reporters and that the communist
country is following international standards.
"While the investigation is under way consular contact is allowed and the
treatment of U.S. reporters, etc. are given according to the relevant
international laws," it said.
The U.S. State Department said earlier Monday that a Swedish diplomat had visited
the journalists over the weekend on behalf of Washington, which has no diplomatic
relations with Pyongyang.
"A representative of the Swedish embassy met with each one individually,"
spokesman Gordon Duguid said, giving no details of their condition.
The reporters, Euna Lee and Laura Ling, from Current TV, a San Francisco-based
Internet outlet, were taken by North Korean soldiers on March 17 along the Tumen
River on the Chinese border while working on a piece on North Korean defectors.
The North Korean report did not say what punishment their charges might carry.
Moon Dae-hong, senior prosecutor and legal advisor on North Korea for Seoul's
Unification Ministry, said there were not enough details to gauge possible
punishment, but if a North Korean criminal code on "hostility crime" is applied,
they may face a prison term.
"Under North Korean criminal law, most of the crimes carry heavy punishment,"
Moon said.
According to North Korean criminal law, foreigners who "infringe upon the bodies
or the properties of North Korean citizens living or temporarily staying overseas
so as to exercise their hostility toward the Korean people" will be sent to labor
prisons for between five years and 10 years. If the crime is serious, the
punishment will be go up.
U.S. officials would not discuss the detention in detail, citing the sensitivity
of the issue involving Pyongyang and Beijing, Pyongyang's staunchest communist
ally.
State Department spokesman Robert Wood said last week that the U.S. has been
"trying to work this diplomatically, because it's a very sensitive issue," but
added, "It's hard to say, in dealing with the North, whether we can be optimistic
or not."
The detention comes at a time when tensions have mounted on the Korean Peninsula
after North Korea's announcement of a rocket launch in early April to orbit a
satellite.
In 1994, North Korea detained a U.S. pilot whose military chopper was shot down
after straying into its territory and released him in 13 days.
Two years later, another American citizen, Evan Hunziker, were held for three
months on suspicion of spying after swimming in the Yalu River bordering North
Korea and China.
Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, then-U.S. congressman, flew to Pyongyang to
successfully negotiate their releases.
hdh@yna.co.kr
hkim@yna.co.kr
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