Two journalists are detained by North Korea for reportedly filming a story on North Korean refugees in China, and it offers a good opportunity to touch on a region that remains a political hot button.
Even before the journalists were detained, North Korea was already making headlines this week, saying it plans to launch a missile between April 4 and April 8. It also asked U.S. aid groups to leave the country and turned away food donations.
Detained journalists and refugees
Reports say two female journalists with Current TV were in China to report on people who have fled over the border from North Korea. Reuters reports the women were filming on the frozen Tumen River that borders the two countries, and that tensions were high because South Korea and the United States have been conducting military exercises that the North sees as aggressive.
Since the early 1990s, tens—perhaps hundreds—of thousands of North Koreans have fled the country, where resources are tight and control is strict. Some two million people are estimated to have died from famine during the 90s, and the World Food Programme estimates nine million North Koreans will need food assistance this year. A Congressional report says about 75% of the refugees are women who are subject to prostitution and human trafficking.
One of the journalists detained is the sister of the reporter Lisa Ling who reported a few years ago on North Korea by posing as a doctor’s assistant. Oprah interviewed her about her experience in 2006.
North Korea and the missiles
Almost three years after testing seven missiles—one that could have reached Alaska—and setting off fresh alarms about its nuclear plans, North Korea will launch a rocket that is expected to travel over Japan. In 1998 it surprised the international community with a similar launch. Pyongyang (the capital) says they’re putting a communications satellite in space, but Japan says the launch violates United Nations resolutions and is considering new sanctions. Japan is also preparing to intercept falling debris, and the United States is ready to intercept the rocket entirely if need be.
The big picture
In her first few weeks as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton made it clear that the United States is open to working toward peace with North Korea, particularly if they abandon their nuclear weapons pursuits. When hearing of the planned rocket launch she called it “very unhelpful.” North Korea says any attempts by the United States or South Korea to shoot down the missile would be viewed as an act of war. Unfortunately it seems these two journalists may have been testing the waters at a time of heightened tension, and hopefully they’ll be released quickly. It’s certain that despite cutting itself off from the rest of the world in many ways—restricting travel in and out, preventing the country from modernizing since the Korean War—North Korea wants to remain relevant on the international stage.
