Freed Journalists Ling and Lee Arrive In U.S.
After almost five months of being held in North Korea for "hostile acts," San Francisco-based journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee arrived back in the U.S. just 24 hours after Bill Clinton negotiated their release with Kim Jong Il. The two flew into Bob Hope Airport in Burbank early this morning, "dressed in short-sleeved shirts and jeans" and appearing "healthy."
After stepping off the plane, Ling spoke briefly.
"The past 140 days have been the most difficult, heart-wrenching days of our lives," Ling said, her voice cracking.Thirty hours ago, Ling said, "We feared that any moment we could be sent to a hard labor camp."
Then, she said, they were taken to another location."When we walked through the doors, we saw standing before us President Bill Clinton," she said to applause. "We were shocked but we knew instantly in our hearts that the nightmare of our lives was finally coming to an end, and now we stand here, home and free.
The Obama administration said that they are "extraordinarily relieved" the two were finally set free.
Senator Dianne Feinstein hailed it as "a victory for the Obama Administration," going on to say that "the trip was a success for the president, it’s a success for the girls."