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Description edit
On March 17, 2009, Laura Ling and her colleague Euna Lee were working on a documentary about North Korean defectors who were fleeing the desperate conditions in their homeland. While filming on the Chinese–North Korean border, they were chased down by North Korean soldiers who violently... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Characters/People edit
- Laura: American journalist who crossed the border between China and North Korea and was captured, jailed and sentences to a labor camp.
- Bill Clinton: Former President of the United States. He personally flew to DPRK to meet with the then leader, Kim Jong-il to negotiate the release of Laura Ling and her co-worker, Euna Lee.
- Mr. Yee: Main interrogator of Laura and Euna. He was also kind and tried to help them without putting himself in danger.
- Lisa: Laura's sister. Also an American journalist, she did a very unflattering expose of North Korea, going in undercover as an assistant to a doctor who was there to do free eye operations on blind citizens. It is thought that she may be the main reason her sister was given such a harsh sentence.
- Mr. Back: Add a description of this character.
- Al Gore: Former Vice President of the United States and also a friend of the Ling family. He helped organize the rescue trip.
- Jimmy Carter: Former president of the United States. He was originally going to be the person flying to North Korea to negotiate the release of the women but Kim Jong-il was very offended and only wanted Bill Clinton.
- Kim Jong Il: The elected leader of North Korea (born Yuri Irsenovich Kim). Also referred to by the citizens as "The Dear Leader". Son of former leader Kim Il-sung. Kim Jong-Il was in power from 8 October 1997 – 17 December 2011. He was succeeded by his youngest son, Kim Jong-un after his death in December 2011.
- Kurt Tong: Kurt Tong, Director of the Office of Korean Affairs at the State Department (U.S.)
- Mitch: Mitchell Koss. Camera man for Laura Ling and Euna Lee. He escaped capture.
- Paul: Paul Song - Lisa Ling's husband
- Michael: Michael Saldate - husband of the other captured journalist Euna Lee.
- Obama: The current president of the U.S. He was not involved in the matter
- Kerry: John Kerry - United States Senator from Massachusetts
- Richardson: William (Bill) Richardson - former Governor of New Mexico and friend of the Ling family.
- Doug Band: Chief Advisor to former President Bill Clinton
- Mary: Mary Ling - the mother of Laura and Lisa
- Iain: Laura Ling's husband, Iain Clayton
- Linda Mcfadyen: Worked for the State Department. Friend of the Ling family.
- Jannuzi: Frank Sampson Jannuzi - foreign affairs officer
- Mrs. Wang: Not sure if this is correct
- Hana: Euna Lee's four year old daughter
- John Podesta: White House Chief of Staff under President Bill Clinton, from 1998 until 2001.
- Hillary Clinton: Wife of President Bill Clinton and current Secretary of State.
- Kyung-hee: One of the guards watching over Laura Ling while she was awaiting trial.
- Robert: Robert Park. Another American who was captured when crossing into the DPRK. Sadly, he did not have all of the money and political connections so his story didn't end so well.
- Paco
- Chun
- Euna: Euna Lee - the journalist captured with Laura Ling
- Justin Cooper
- Brendan
- Luna
- Agnes Smedley
- Maya
- Brad
- Baby Girl: This is how Lisa Ling refers to her sister Laura
- Joel Hyatt
- Dr. Ruit
- Lien
- Laura Ling: American journalist held prisoner in North Korea
- Euna Lee: American journalist held prisoner in North Korea
- Lisa Ling: American journalist and sister of Laura Ling
- Iain Clayton: Laura's husband
- Paul Song: Lisa's husband
- Doug Ling: Laura and Lisa's father
- Mary Mei-yan (née Wang): Laura and Lisa's mother
- President Bill Clinton
Setting & Locations edit
- North Koreans
- China
- United States
- Pyongyang
- Paris
- White House
- Los Angeles
- South Korea
- America
- Sacramento
- Japan
- Seoul
- New York
- California
- Iraq
- Burbank
- Gotham
- Mexico
- Afghanistan
- Yanji
- Beijing
- Washington
- Iran
- Russia
- Asia
- Pyongyang, North Korea: Location of the prison
First Sentence edit
We were just four and seven when our immigrant parents divorced.
Table of Contents edit
Author's Note
Preface
1. Somewhere Inside North Korea
2. Scrambling for Answers
3. Going to Pyongyang
4. The Visit
5. The Confession
6. The Phone Call
7. The Window is Closing
8. Glimmers of Hope
9. The Envoy
10. The Rescue
Epilogue
Mom's Special Watercress Soup Recipe
Acknowledgements
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: PN4874.L445A3 2010
- Dewey: 365.45092
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