U.S. seeks release of detained journalists

PYONGYANG, North Korea, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, reportedly heading to North Korea, may fulfill a mission he had considered in 2000 during his presidency.

CNN, quoting a source with detailed knowledge of the former president's movements, reported Clinton was headed to the Communist country to negotiate the release of two U.S. journalists now detained in that country.

CNN said Clinton had considered taking a trip to North Korea in 2000 as his presidency was winding down. Earlier that year, his Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, had visited North Korea to meet Kim Jong Il.

Similar reports by the Chosun Ilbo newspaper and Yonhap news agency said Clinton's mission was to win the release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who were sentenced by a North Korean court to 12 years of labor in June after being accused of illegally crossing the border and committing a ''grave crime'' against the country.

Ling and Lee were captured by North Korean guards in March near the border with China while they working on a story.

CNN said Ling and Lee are reporters for California-based Current TV, a media venture of former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, who served under Clinton.

The United States has no diplomatic relations with North Korea but Sweden has been representing U.S. interests in Pyongyang.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had said the United States was trying to win amnesty for Ling and Lee after dropping its efforts to get them released on humanitarian grounds, CNN said. Such a step would imply forgiveness, the report said.