Ling and Lee Families Hold Vigil in San Francisco

The husband of an American journalist jailed in North Korea says his wife sounded scared during a recent phone call and described her confinement as “bearable.”

Iain Clayton, the husband of Laura Ling, said Wednesday his wife called him on Sunday night. He said although she tried to be strong on the phone, he could tell she was worried. [….]

Clayton also says Ling’s medical condition has deteriorated and Lee has developed a medical problem. Ling reportedly suffers from an ulcer.  [AP]

For the families, it’s important to keep the memories of Euna and Laura in the public eye and in the press, but I’m beginning to wonder what their focus is, beyond just calling for us to talk to the North Koreans.  After all, we talked to them plenty about their nukes and missiles, and just look where that got us.  Assuming the North Koreans are even willing to talk to us, how would we manage not to be forced into some concession (read: ransom) that would create an incentive to grab more hostages or harm our broader national security interests?  Those issues should be kept separate, but how exactly are we supposed to do that if the North Koreans insist on linking them?

Related:  This report, via the Donga Ilbo, has it that Kim Jong Un is personally overseeing the captivity and treatment of Laura Ling and Euna Lee.  Hey, if Kim Il Sung delegated the business of blowing up airliners and their passengers to his son, there’s no reason why this can’t be true, although many of the recent reports about Kim Jong Un have the ring of disinformation to them.