Clinton leaves North Korea with journalists

August 18th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama Tuesday met Bill Clinton at the White House to discuss the former president's trip to North Korea earlier this month. Clinton had gone to North Korea to secure the release of two US journalists who had been held there for months, and the White House said at the time that the 42nd president would soon debrief Obama on the trip.

August 7th, 2009 NEW YORK - Former President Bill Clinton offered very few additional details Thursday on his trip to retrieve two American journalists who had been captured and detained by North Korea. Speaking at a Clinton Global Initiative event in New York, his first public appearance since the plane carrying the former president and the two journalists landed in Los Angeles, Clinton said that it would be "wrong" for him to say anything more about the trip.

August 5th, 2009 Clinton departs North Korea with journalistsWASHINGTON — Bill Clinton's spokesman says the former president has left North Korea with two American journalists who had been held hostage. Matt McKenna said late Tuesday that Clinton has "safely left North Korea with Laura Ling and Euna Lee." He said they're flying to Los Angeles, where the journalists will be reunited with their families.

August 5th, 2009 LOS ANGELES - Two US journalists freed by North Korea after three months in prison arrived back in the US Wednesday along with former president Bill Clinton. Laura Ling, 32, and Euna Lee, 36, landed at Burbank's Bob Hope Airport near Los Angeles.

August 5th, 2009 Former President Clinton gratified about releaseWASHINGTON — Former President Bill Clinton says he's "very happy" that a pair of American journalists have been freed from imprisonment in North Korea. In a statement released from his New York office, Clinton called their plight a "long ordeal," and said he was gratified that they "are now home and reunited with their loved ones." Clinton went to Pyongyang as a private citizen acting as an envoy for the United States to work out a deal to win the release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee.

August 5th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US former president Bill Clinton left North Korea Wednesday morning with two American journalists who had been detained since March in the communist country, CNN reported. Clinton, Laura Ling and Euna Lee were on their way to Los Angeles, where the two women are to meet their families, CNN quoted Clinton spokesman Matt McKenna as saying.

August 5th, 2009 LOS ANGELES - Former US President Bill Clinton arrived early Wednesday morning at Burbank Airport near Los Angeles, California, after his mission gaining the release of two pardoned American journalists who had been detained since March in North Korea. Clinton, Laura Ling and Euna Lee had flown from Pyongyjang after the ex-president's previously unannounced 20-hour visit during which he met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, who pardoned the two journalists.

August 4th, 2009 Reporters' families overjoyed by N. Korea pardonsSAN FRANCISCO — The families of journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee say they are overjoyed the North Korean government has pardoned the two women and is sending them home.

August 4th, 2009 Clinton mission expected to conclude within hoursWASHINGTON — Despite an official North Korean report that former President Bill Clinton and his party have left the country, U.S. officials say there's no indication that his private plane has departed.

July 11th, 2009 NEW YORK - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is hopeful that two American journalists detained by North Korea on charges of illegally entering the country will be granted amnesty. Clinton on Friday said "everyone is very sorry" about an incident that resulted in North Korea detaining two US journalists.

July 11th, 2009 Clinton says reporters held in NKorea sorryWASHINGTON — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday urged North Korea to grant amnesty to two American reporters sentenced to 12 years of hard labor last month for illegally entering North Korea. Clinton said the reporters have expressed "great remorse for this incident" and called on the North to allow Laura Ling and Euna Lee to quickly return home to their families.

July 10th, 2009 Clinton: Reporters held by N. Korea showed remorseWASHINGTON — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says two American reporters sentenced last month to 12 years of hard labor for entering North Korea illegally have expressed "great remorse for this incident." Clinton called Friday for North Korea to grant amnesty to Laura Ling and Euna Lee and let them return home quickly to their families.

May 14th, 2009 PYONGYANG - A North Korean court will try two detained US journalists June 4, the state-run news agency reported Thursday. Euna Lee, a Korean-American, and Laura Ling, a Chinese-American, were detained March 17 near the Tumen River, which marks the border with China.

April 24th, 2009 PYONGYANG - North Korea is to begin trial of two American journalists arrested last month from its border with China, the official news agency KCNA reported Friday. The news agency said investigation into the crimes of the two woman journalists has been completed and North Korea has decided to put them on trial.

March 22nd, 2009 PYONGYANG - North Korea Saturday confirmed that it detained two US journalists for entering the country illegally. The two US citizens were detained Tuesday when they crossed the border with China.