Emotional return of journalists captivates US (News Feature)

By Andy Goldberg Aug 5, 2009, 15:24 GMT

Los Angeles - It was, as many commentators pointed out, a classic Hollywood ending.

Thirty hours before they touched down in a private jet at Burbank's Bob Hope Airport just outside Hollywood, the two journalists held in North Korea since March had feared they would be sent to a hard labour camp.

But instead of being taken to one of North Korea's most feared prisons they were taken to meet former US President Bill Clinton, who had flown in hours earlier to the Stalinist country to spearhead a humanitarian and diplomatic effort to gain their release.

Journalists Laura Ling, 32, and Euna Lee, 36, had been in jail for five months, since straying across the China-North Korea border while on assignment for Current TV, a startup television and internet channel co-founded by Clinton's former deputy Al Gore.

They were researching a story about women and human trafficking at the time of their arrest.

Since then, they had been kept mostly in the dark, allowed only brief and occasional contacts with their families. Their sentence was harsh: 12 years of hard labour.

Then suddenly they were summoned to a meeting.

Fighting tears over the memory of the emotional roller-coaster, Lee recalled the surprise and elation at seeing Clinton instead of another dreaded fate.

'We were told that we were going to a meeting,' Lee told reporters at the Los Angeles airport. 'We were taken to a location and when we walked through the doors we saw standing before us president Bill Clinton.'

'We were shocked but we knew instantly in our hearts that the nightmare of our lives was finally coming to an end, and now we stand here, home and free.'

Their sensational homecoming played out again and again on US morning TV shows. The mix of emotional family drama, successful US diplomacy and captivating images was a TV producer's dream.

Clinton, who was present at the press conference but did not speak, later issued a statement saying he felt a 'deep sense of relief' that Ling and Lee have been returned to their families.

'I am very happy that after this long ordeal, Laura Ling and Euna Lee are now home and reunited with their loved ones,' Clinton said.

As the sun rose behind the scenic California hills, the women's white jet taxied to a gleaming hanger. After a few seconds the doors opened and the women, arms raised and overcome with tearful emotion, stepped proudly down the flight stairs.

Lee emerged first, crouching to look at her 4-year-old daughter Hannah at eye level before picking up the little girl and embracing her and her husband in a long family hug.

In the background Ling pumped her fists in the air and then clung tight to her husband before other family members rushed to embrace her.

Moments later Ling found the strength to give some brief comments to the camera and to thank the thousands of people who had followed her case.

'We could feel your love all the way in North Korea,' Ling said. 'It is what sustained us in our darkest hours. We are very grateful we were granted amnesty by the government of North Korea.'