US women 'face North Korea trial'

Two US journalists arrested by North Korea near its border with China are to face trial, North Korea's state media has reported.

朝鲜国家新闻报导到，两名美国记者在中朝边境被逮捕，并面临审判。

It is thought that the women were researching North Korean refugees

Euna Lee, a Korean-American, and Laura Ling, a Chinese-American, who work for Current TV, were detained（扣留，扣押） on 17 March.

The North said it had decided¹ to charge the women after completing an inquiry² into their "crimes" - although the precise charges remain unclear.

The North says the two women illegally crossed the border from China.

"Our related agency has decided to turn the US reporters over for trial based on findings of their crimes," KCNA reported.

State media announced earlier this month that it would put the reporters on trial for "hostile acts" and illegally entering the country.

The latest announcement appears to indicate an investigation³ has been completed to support formal charges, although what those charges are precisely⁴ remains⁵ unclear.

The Associated Press says the women could face up to five years in prison if convicted（已被判刑的） of espionage⁶（间谍活动）.

 
The UN unanimously condemned⁷ North Korea's rocket launch

'Treated well'

The journalists are believed to have been on the Chinese side of the border when North Korean guards arrested them and took them back to North Korea, although the North disputes this.

They were working on a story about refugees fleeing the hard line communist North.

Washington had initially⁸ accepted media reports that the two were being interrogated⁹ for espionage, but later said they understood the two were being investigated for illegal entry of North Korea.

The US has no diplomatic representation in the North so has asked Swedish diplomats¹⁰ in North Korea to request access to the reporters.

US state department spokesman Robert Wood said recently that the North had assured the US the detainees would be "well-treated".

Mr Wood has repeatedly said the state department is trying to avoid commenting too much on the case in order to increase chances of a diplomatic negotiation¹¹ to secure their release.

Tensions

North Korea has angered the international community in recent weeks after launching a rocket which it says was a communications satellite but which many other nations believe was a long-range missile test.

Pyongyang was the subject of UN censure¹²（责难，非难） after its launch - the Security Council issued a statement unanimously（全体一致地） condemning¹³ the action.

In response, North Korea expelled inspectors¹⁴（检查员，巡视员） of its nuclear programmes and threatened to re-start the Yongbyon reactor¹⁵.

Last year, six-party talks had progressed towards a shut-down of the plant in return for international aid to the impoverished¹⁶（贫困的，赤贫的） country.

But negotiations¹⁷ faltered¹⁸（支吾的说，迟疑） over US concerns about verifying the extent of the North's nuclear programme.

Relations have also been tense across the border between North and South Korea, with the North refusing this week to release a South Korean worker.

The BBC's John Sudworth, in Seoul, says there are concerns that the two reporters could be used by North Korea as bargaining chips at a time of heightened tension.

Russia's foreign minister is visiting the North Korean capital Pyongyang this week in an effort to restart talks, which include China, Japan, Russia, the US and North and South Korea.