Laura Ling on Imprisonment in North Korea | Inside North Korea

in March of 2009 I was working on a

in March of 2009 I was working on a documentary about North Korean defectors

documentary about North Korean defectors

documentary about North Korean defectors people who are fleeing the very

people who are fleeing the very

people who are fleeing the very desperate conditions in North Korea and

desperate conditions in North Korea and

desperate conditions in North Korea and during that time we were filming along

during that time we were filming along

during that time we were filming along the Tumen River this is the river that

the Tumen River this is the river that

the Tumen River this is the river that separates China and North Korea and it

separates China and North Korea and it

separates China and North Korea and it was frozen at the time and so we were

was frozen at the time and so we were

was frozen at the time and so we were literally standing on that frozen river

literally standing on that frozen river

literally standing on that frozen river when two North Korean soldiers spotted

when two North Korean soldiers spotted

when two North Korean soldiers spotted us they chased us into China and then

us they chased us into China and then

us they chased us into China and then very violently dragged my colleague Yuna

very violently dragged my colleague Yuna

very violently dragged my colleague Yuna Lee and me across that river into North

Lee and me across that river into North

Lee and me across that river into North Korea in the middle of the night while

Korea in the middle of the night while

Korea in the middle of the night while my husband and I were sleeping my

my husband and I were sleeping my

my husband and I were sleeping my sister’s husband called and he said

sister’s husband called and he said

sister’s husband called and he said Laura was abducted by North Korean

Laura was abducted by North Korean

Laura was abducted by North Korean soldiers and my heart just sank was

soldiers and my heart just sank was

soldiers and my heart just sank was pretty bruised up and bloodied and I

pretty bruised up and bloodied and I

pretty bruised up and bloodied and I just I just tried to keep my wits about

just I just tried to keep my wits about

just I just tried to keep my wits about me but I was I was so scared

we’re eventually transferred to

we’re eventually transferred to Pyongyang Yoona and I were separated for

Pyongyang Yoona and I were separated for

Pyongyang Yoona and I were separated for the remainder of our captivity and and

the remainder of our captivity and and

the remainder of our captivity and and that’s when the real formal

that’s when the real formal

that’s when the real formal interrogation began and I was grilled

interrogation began and I was grilled

interrogation began and I was grilled every day for four hours on end

every day for four hours on end

every day for four hours on end day after day one of the most difficult

day after day one of the most difficult

day after day one of the most difficult parts was trying to convince them that I

parts was trying to convince them that I

parts was trying to convince them that I was not a spy it didn’t help that the

was not a spy it didn’t help that the

was not a spy it didn’t help that the co-founder and chairman of the company

co-founder and chairman of the company

co-founder and chairman of the company that I worked for at the time current TV

that I worked for at the time current TV

that I worked for at the time current TV was former Vice President Al Gore so

was former Vice President Al Gore so

was former Vice President Al Gore so that immediately made them suspicious

that immediately made them suspicious

that immediately made them suspicious that I had ties to the government one

that I had ties to the government one

that I had ties to the government one day my interrogator came in and he was

day my interrogator came in and he was

day my interrogator came in and he was carrying a file and it was all about my

carrying a file and it was all about my

carrying a file and it was all about my sister and the project she worked on

sister and the project she worked on

sister and the project she worked on he was very upset very upset very

he was very upset very upset very

he was very upset very upset very suspicious and he immediately accused

suspicious and he immediately accused

suspicious and he immediately accused both Lisa and me of trying to bring down

both Lisa and me of trying to bring down

both Lisa and me of trying to bring down the North Korean government Yuna and I

the North Korean government Yuna and I

the North Korean government Yuna and I became the first Americans to be tried

became the first Americans to be tried

became the first Americans to be tried in North Korea’s highest court on the

in North Korea’s highest court on the

in North Korea’s highest court on the day of our sentencing the judge and his

day of our sentencing the judge and his

day of our sentencing the judge and his two associates left the room to

two associates left the room to

two associates left the room to deliberate they left for five minutes

deliberate they left for five minutes

deliberate they left for five minutes and they returned with their judgment

and they returned with their judgment

and they returned with their judgment and that was 12 years of hard labor back

and that was 12 years of hard labor back

and that was 12 years of hard labor back in 2006 we interviewed a North Korean

in 2006 we interviewed a North Korean

in 2006 we interviewed a North Korean defector who had spent time in one of

defector who had spent time in one of

defector who had spent time in one of the notorious North Korean prisons and

the notorious North Korean prisons and

the notorious North Korean prisons and he described it as just an absolutely

he described it as just an absolutely

he described it as just an absolutely heinous and insidious place to be and so

heinous and insidious place to be and so

heinous and insidious place to be and so the thought of my sister going there was

the thought of my sister going there was

the thought of my sister going there was just unimaginable and I was terrified I

just unimaginable and I was terrified I

just unimaginable and I was terrified I was absolutely terrified the judge

was absolutely terrified the judge

was absolutely terrified the judge shouted no forgiveness no appeal and I

shouted no forgiveness no appeal and I

shouted no forgiveness no appeal and I just clutched on to the podium I was

just clutched on to the podium I was

just clutched on to the podium I was standing at a podium and I just clutched

standing at a podium and I just clutched

standing at a podium and I just clutched on to it to keep from falling over