North Korea sentences two U.S. journalists to 12 years of labor camp

Per Yonhap News Agency in South Korea, United States journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee have each been sentenced to 12 years of prison by North Korea, according to a media report from state-run KCNA. Their trial was held in Pyongyang from June 4 to June 8 and it was determined they had committed a “grave crime” against North Korea and illegally crossed the border.

The first tweet on the news came from Yonhap’s Twitter account @YonhapNews, followed by one minute by @CNNSaeed, and another minute after that by @BreakingNews. There has been more than 1,000 tweets on the story in the 30 minutes since.

YonhapNews N. Korea sentences two U.S. journalists to 12 years in labor camp : KCNA 08 Jun 2009 from web

CNNSaeed U.S. journalists in North Korea sentenced to 12 years in prison each, according to the country’s state-run media 08 Jun 2009 from TwitterFox

BreakingNews Yonhap: North Korea sentences two U.S. journalists to 12 years in labor camp — KCNA 08 Jun 2009 from BNO Headquarters

Some of the first reaction from the Twitterverse looked toward President Barack Obama for help.

s_m_java (Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas) NK sentences two American journalists to 12 years in labor camp … Do something Obama! 08 Jun 2009 from Twittelator

davidehrlich (Undisclosed) ack! my favorite Internet journalist (laura ling of current) was just sentenced to 12 years in a north korean labor camp! save her, obama! 08 Jun 2009 from TweetDeck

MichaelSzeto (Los Angeles/New York) Alright President Obama, your move: “North Korea Sentences U.S. Journalists to 12 Years in Labor Prison” 08 Jun 2009 from web

Gregory_Lemmons (San Francisco, Calif.) 12 Years in a North Korean Labor Camp?! Maybe Obama will send in the Seals to get ‘em out . . . 08 Jun 2009 from web

whoisMrPolite (San Diego, Calif.) Euna Lee and Laura King sentenced to 12 years in a North Korean labor camp. Move quickly President Obama. 08 Jun 2009 from txt

Others tweeted feelings of shock and anger toward North Korea.

saintfranny (Rhode Island) am SHOCKED at what North Korea has done to those poor girls!!! 12 years Labor Prison??? Someone get them out of there ASAP 08 Jun 2009 from web

bryanmccolgan (New York, N.Y.) this is insane…how can we let this happen?! RT @CBSNews: North Korea convicts U.S. journalists, sentences them to 12 years in prison 08 Jun 2009 from TweetDeck

teeco71 (New York, N.Y.) WTF? this is terrible RT @ericgrant Let’s bomb them: Two U.S. Journalists Sentenced to 12 Years in North Korea http://ow.ly/cPMJ 08 Jun 2009 from web

cafin8ted (San Jose, Calif.) We need to topple north Korea -that’s insane 12 years in a labor prison 08 Jun 2009 from qTweeter

SuaveT86 (Goldsboro, N.C.) This North Korea shit is getting a little crazy! 08 Jun 2009 from web

Sarcomical (Undisclosed) i can’t believe it. shockingly sad. (Two U.S. Journalists Sentenced to 12 Years in North Korea http://bit.ly/LnRhY via @nytimes) 08 Jun 2009 from TweetDeck

DelfiGax (Undisclosed) Sad, fearful, and concerned for others RT@nytimes Two U.S. Journalists Sentenced to 12 Years in North Korea http://bit.ly/LnRhY 08 Jun 2009 from TwitterBerry