Envoy visits imprisoned U.S. journalists

PYONGYANG, North Korea, June 23 (UPI) -- Two U.S. journalists imprisoned in North Korea were visited by the Swedish ambassador Tuesday but details of the encounter were not available.

The visit by the envoy was the first Euna Lee and Laura Ling, journalists for Current TV in California, had since being handed a 12-year sentence this month by a North Korean court that found them guilty of planning a smear campaign against the Communist country, CNN reported.

U.S. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said he could not provide details of their conversation with the Swedish diplomat, the U.S. network said.

Lee and Ling were taken into custody in March, accused of illegally crossing the border between North Korea and China.

Kelly said the ambassador, who represents U.S. interests in North Korea, had earlier visited with the journalists in March, May and June 1.

"Well, I know that he's in constant contact with the North Korean Foreign Ministry, is constantly pressing them for more information about these two young women," Kelly was quoted as saying, adding the United States was also "pursuing many different avenues" to free the journalists.

CNN also reported a statement it obtained from the families of the two journalists, saying they were grateful to the North Korean government for allowing the ambassador's visit.

"We continue to appeal for their release on humanitarian grounds," the statement said.

Ling, according to her family, suffers from an unspecified serious medical condition. Lee's family has said her 4-year-old daughter is showing "signs of anguish over the absence of her mother."

Lee and Ling were reporting on North Korean defectors living along the China-North Korea border when arrested March 17.