North Korean Outrage!

Today the L.A. Times reported the news of the sentencing of two female television journalists that were arrested in mid-March. The two women were sentenced to twelve years in a North Korean labor prison by the highest court in that country. There can be no appeal by North Korean law. I cannot refrain from tendering an opinion on this outrageous event in North Korea. This entire event is an outrage and demands more action!

For those who are not familiar with this disturbing story, “Ling, 32, and Lee, 36, were arrested March 17 along the China-North Korean border after top officials in Pyongyang said they had encroached on North Korean soil while reporting a story on human trafficking by Kim Jong Il’s regime” (Los Angeles Times online 06.08.2009 http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-norkor-journalists8-2009jun08,0,3667915.story).

Certainly we all know that tensions are already high (on the world stage) against North Korea, and the sentencing of these women to prison can only serve to further exacerbate these tensions. But due to other serious political pressures – mainly surrounding North Korea’s nuclear advancement and production of weapons of mass destruction – options for the United States remain limited with regard to these unfortunate journalists. The situation is delicate, to say the least.

But let’s be candid. This frigging Kim Jong Il is a nut-bag! Moreover, it seems clear that his rule over that country is absolute. The news video of North Korea’s army marching in formation triggers memories of Nazi muscle on display during WWII. I cannot speak for you, my reader, of course, but I am scared! North Korea is a Pandora’s Box; the volatility and promise of violent aggression from this small country is self-evident and – I would argue – inevitable. Of all the global “threats” and “problem areas”, I assert that North Korea is the most serious, or at least in the top two or three.

The United States needs to do more than express deep concern and call for their release! But what actions will be effective without escalating all tensions to ever more serious levels? I profess that I do not know; it is a complex set of circumstances, and a paramount challenge. It would appear that currently our government does not know what else can be sensibly done either! This scares me even more? What will North Korea try next to provoke confrontation? I’m glad that at this moment that is a mystery as well.

I will pray for Ms. Ling and Ms. Lee, as I pray for all of us who face the ugly actions of North Korea.

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