Letter to the editor,

Korean Central News Agency

eng-info@kcna.co.jp

March 28, 2009

I’m writing in support for the immediate release of both American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who were detained by North Korean soldiers for "intruding" over the border from China while on a reporting trip. Your Korean Central News Agency “ to develop the friendly and cooperative relations with foreign news agencies” statement on your internet web site coincides with journalist throughout the world.

As Journalist’s, we have one thing in common, to try and get a news worthy article which could bring attention to an issue affecting others in plight.” In this case, both Ling and Lee were trying to report and headed to the Chinese city of Yanji, across the border from North Korea's far northeastern corner, where they planned to interview women forced by human traffickers to strip for online customers, according to the Rev. Chun Ki-won of the Seoul-based Durihana Mission, a Christian group that helps defectors.

They also planned to meet with children of defectors, said Chun, who helped the journalists organize the trip. Many children who grow up on the run in China live in legal limbo, unable even to attend school, according to a 2008 Human Rights Watch report, and reported by the Associated Press.

As a journalist myself, I joined the thousands of journalists from around the world in sending this message to officials with authority to release both Ling and Lee. North Korea is a nation in need of diplomatic acknowledgement. With the immediate release of both Ling and Lee, it can no doubt bring about a positive dialogue and diplomatic gesture for open peaceful means resulting in mutual working relations with other nations.

Their immediate release will send a strong message that North Korea is a nation of people striving to create diplomatic relations with nations willing to compromise political differences with mutual peace and preservation of life.

Life is the most valuable worldly gift, and peace is the key to perseverance. To North Korean government officials having the authority to release both Ling and Lee, I appeal to your humane and compassion ability to release them.

Sincerely and respectfully,

H. Nelson Goodson

Blog Journalist

Hispanic News Network USA

Editor

El Conquistador Newspaper

Milwaukee, Wisconsin U.S.A.

"Words conveyed by wisdom and truth influence inevitable change" H. Nelson Goodson

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