Royce Cheers Release of American Journalists from North Korea

Press Release

Royce Cheers Release of American Journalists from North Korea

Royce: "freedom surely has never felt so fantastic"

Rep. Ed Royce, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, made the following comments after two American journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, held in North Korea since March arrived in the United States:

This is great news, but it's long overdue. These two should have been freed months ago. For Laura Ling and Euna Lee, freedom surely has never felt so fantastic.

The millions of Americans that have been watching their case for months are finally breathing a sigh of relief.

Secretary of State Clinton and many others worked hard to secure the release of Laura and Euna. North Korea no doubt feels it got something by having President Clinton come. Assuming no concessions were made, I can live with that.

Our broader relations with North Korea are unlikely to be changed by this release. The name of the game should be putting maximum pressure on this regime, driving it away from its nuclear program.

Rep. Royce, an active member on North Korea policy, who has known Laura's mother Mary Ling for years, has raised the case of the two journalists in several face-to-face conversations with Secretary of State Clinton. In April, Royce handed Secretary Clinton a personal letter, and pressed for urgent action. In June, after North Korea sentenced the two to 12 years hard labor, Royce led a congressional letter to President Obama asking that he give the matter his "personal attention." Royce and Young Kim of his staff have been in contact with Mary Ling throughout the ordeal.

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