Ashton: Sentencing Of U.S. Journalists In North Korea A 'National Crisis'

Access Hollywood - June 8, 2009 12:02 PM PDT
Story photo: Ashton: Sentencing Of U.S. Journalists In North Korea A 'National Crisis'Ashton Kutcher at the premiere of 'Happy Tears' at the 59th Berlin Film Festival (Feb. 2009)Getty ImagesAccess Hollywood

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Count Ashton Kutcher among those who are outraged over two American journalists being sentenced to 12 years of hard labor in North Korea on Monday.

After news broke that Laura Ling and Euna Lee, reporters for former Vice President Al Gore's San Francisco-based Current TV media venture, were found guilty of committing a "grave crime" against North Korea and illegally entering the country, Ashton took to his Twitter page to rally support for the women.

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"This should be a national crisis... We have to demand that something be done. This is our country, it's our military," he Tweeted. "I say it's special ops time... If we can save that Captain from pirates we can save these journalist [sic]."

North Korean guards arrested Ling (the sister of TV journalist Lisa Ling) and Lee near the China-North Korean border on March 17. The two were reporting about the trafficking of North Korean women at the time of their arrest, and it's unclear if they strayed into the North or were grabbed by aggressive border guards who crossed into China. A cameraman and their local guide escaped.

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As a result, the two women were sentenced to 12 years of "reform through labor" in a North Korean prison.

In drumming up support for Ling and Lee, Ashton suggested using the power of the Internet abroad to help out.

"we should find out what the largest social network site in china is and run a campaign to encourage the people there 2 help," he continued. "Bottom line, China needs to step up!"

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On Monday, White House deputy spokesman William Burton released a statement, saying President Barack Obama was exploring "all possible channels to secure their release."

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comments 1-10 of 19  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >|  hide comments · post a comment
  • Samantha
    Screw N.K. we should just go and start a war.. And we should have our army men go and get them out... Dosen't our goverment THINK!!! And if we would think with our tiny brains then,we wouldn't have this problem! If we started a war in IRAQ we didn't need then why not now!??
    report abuseposted July 9, 2009 8:32 AM PDT
  • James V
    They pushed for a president that wouldn't do anything about things like this , now they got one. Send Oprah after them.
    report abuseposted July 6, 2009 7:12 PM PDT
  • tikiman
    rest assured MARTI, the two journalist captured by the north koreans will be treated much, much worse than the poor little gitmo prisoners. They will not get tv, food to their liking, books they request, beds to sleep in, medical treatment, prayer time, communication with their families, or bathrooms with showers. like the poor little gitmo prisoners. wow you are uniformed.
    report abuseposted June 21, 2009 10:09 PM PDT
  • Netta Bread
    Hope the enemy does not underestimate the powers of the superpower...we will always be a force to be reckoned with even when this old way has changed to space residence and underground communities--Someone will be representing the good old US of A...even if it's just Bill Gates...
    report abuseposted June 18, 2009 10:00 AM PDT
  • marti
    Please, they knew the risk they were taking when they illegally crossed into their country. Lets just hope they are treated humanely and not like how we treated prisoners at gitmo.
    report abuseposted June 15, 2009 1:18 PM PDT
  • xoxo
    Mr. "save the planet from global warming" Gore needs to speak out on their behalf and demand their release. Haven't heard a peep from him or his company. What's up with that?
    report abuseposted June 12, 2009 2:35 PM PDT
  • __A_YAHOO_USER__
    I NEED MORE INFORMATION AND FACTS TO MAKE AN OPINION.
    report abuseposted June 9, 2009 9:53 AM PDT
  • Elizabeth
    We don't know if they were in Korea or not. the point is that Korea is trying to make a point. And thier wrong, those are our people over there being wrongfully accused. Why, because they didn't like what the journalest had to say? Would it be different if this had happened in the middle east? Something needs to be done to find the facts out. find out if they were in china or korea
    report abuseposted June 9, 2009 8:26 AM PDT
  • PugMom
    If they didn't want to be in prison, they shouldn't have violated Korea's border. Stupid twits!!!
    report abuseposted June 9, 2009 7:13 AM PDT
  • tikiman
    North K is looking for a fight. They see the weakness of the usa and are not afraid. I hope the two can survive the 12 years. usa will not do anything.
    report abuseposted June 9, 2009 2:59 AM PDT
comments 1-10 of 19  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >| 

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