Media, White House Slowly Catching Up with Social Media Coverage of Lee-Ling Case
With Roxana Saberi’s recent release from imprisonment in Iran, I have noticed an uptick in media mentions of Laura Ling and Euna Lee – a positive change of course coming from mainstream media. While I agree, what may work for Iran may not work with North Korea in terms of dealing with detained U.S. citizens, it’s good to see this case getting more media attention, even if it seems to be treated as an afterthought.
(By the way, I have in the past used the term “hostage” to describe Lee and Ling, and it has been pointed out that the term may be incorrect for this situation. To the best of my knowledge, no vocal demands have been made by the DPRK in exchange for their release. However, I still think they are being held in the hopes that the U.S. will grant bi-lateral talks with North Korea or that the States will give more aid to the country in exchange for the return of these two women. But since I have not heard of such demands being officially made, technically speaking, the two are not “hostages.)
Perhaps taking a page from the media (or perhaps because journalists have returned to their jobs of asking the right questions), the White House has also mentioned the women in public, although contrary to Iran, Washington’s stance toward North Korea seems a bit restrained.
From the Daily NK:
Commenting in [Monday’s] Washington Post, Professor Victor Cha criticized the U.S. administration for having “done little” to save Laura Ling and Euna Lee. Accepting that the international community should strive to avoid giving in to what he called “North Korean extortion tactics,” and that the U.S. does not have a consular mission in Pyongyang through which to operate, Professor Cha nevertheless pointed out that the U.S. must not “stand by and watch these innocent women be thrown into the living hell of North Korean labor camps.
In the piece, Professor Cha suggested sending a high level envoy such as Al Gore to Pyongyang to secure the journalists’ release, whilst gaining an insight into the state of Pyongyang politics at the same time. However, Spokesman [Ian] Kelly rejected the idea, saying that, for whatever purpose, “It’s too early to go to North Korea.
While the media have, until recently, been quiet on the topic of Lee and Ling’s imprisonment, and while Washington continues to dodge the issue as much as it can, social media users have taken up the women’s case online. Users have essentially filled in the gaps mainstream media have left open in light of the case. For example, a Facebook group has been established in the effort to create more awareness to the fate of the reporters. As of 10 a.m. this morning, 580 people had joined the group with comments and discussion posted on the group’s “wall.”
In addition, a Twitter account has been set up with the aim of using social media as a way to speed up the release of Lee and Ling. As of 10 a.m. this morning, the account had 1,260 followers. The same account holder also links to an online petition demanding the release of the two journalists. The petition is actually part of an entire Web site dedicated to the cause.
Discussion about Lee and Ling and complaints regarding the lack of media attention given to them have dominated online conversations, particularly on Twitter. Twitter user @LiberateLaura has done a great job posting whatever media coverage can be found on the situation, while simultaneously attracting an eclectic following which includes one user identifying himself as an African now living in New Jersey who fled North Korea after forced 1981-87 servitude as a student.
Testing the Twitter waters on the subject, I posed a question to users regarding Ian Kelly’s cryptic statement Monday that it was “too early to go to North Korea” about the imprisonment of Lee and Ling. I was looking for opinions out there surrounding Washington’s timid reaction to the journalists in Kim Jong Il’s possession.
I received one response that perhaps accurately reflects the delicate situation facing the White House. From @Leftsider: “IMHO, “˜too early’ means “˜not enough leverage.’ Basic thinking being, most likely, will we capitulate every time they detain ppl?”
Thought-provoking fodder indeed.