Journalist recalls harrowing experience in North Korean jail

“The North Korean interrogators called me as a ‘traitor’ of the Korean race,” recalls Euna Lee, an American journalist with the Korean heritage.

Lee was one of the pair who crossed briefly into the North Korean territory from the Chinese side last year and was detained for months in a North Korean jail for illegal entry and unspecified “hostile acts” against the communist country.

The duo’s harrowing experience was highlighted when former U.S. President Bill Clinton made a clandestine visit to the country and secured their release.

They were arrested on their 8th day of their planned nine-day filming schedule along the China-North Korean border to interview North Korean women who were frequently subject to human trafficking. With their arrest, they had to spend their ninth day in North Korea.

In a rare interview with the local daily, Joongang Ilbo, on Saturday, Lee clarified one aspect of heir harrowing experience: At the time of their arrest they were inside the Chinese territory. But the North Korean guards crossed into the Chinese border to arrest her and her colleague, Laura Ling.

“The local guide took us to a place that was allegedly used by human smugglers. And we ended up stepping inside the North Korean side of the Tumen River (that runs between China and North Korea). But we felt it was dangerous and headed back to the Chinese side. When we were halfway in the (frozen) river, two North Korean soldiers, with rifles, began to chase after us.

They made it to the Chinese side. Then, Laura Ling hurt her leg and couldn’t walk. “We were dragged by the North Korean soldiers when we were clearly inside the Chinese territory,” she told the newspaper.

No report showed that China protested the apparent violation of the North Korean soldiers.

The pair were then sent to Pyongyang where they were later sentenced to 12 years of hard labor. “There was only one trial. That’s it. I felt devastated, thinking it would be better to die,” Lee said.

Lee had hard time sleeping. And the jail guard gave her sleeping pills, which she saved.

“I was planning to swallow the pills. But 30 minutes after I had that thought, I received a parcel sent by my husband. He said there would be a day when we would look back on this experience and smile. The parcel saved my life.”

Since her return to the United States, Lee has refrained from public exposure, spending most of her time with her family.

“Back in the North Korean jail, I had a dream one night. In the dream, I participated in a singing contest. I forgot my lyrics. It was an embarrassing moment. But my daughter came up to the stage and held my hand. We sang together happily. My husband in the audience seat clapped for us. When I woke up, I felt hope,” she said.

“My experience in North Korea made me realize how important family is.”

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