Journalists jailed
June 8, 2009
The TV reporters, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, were found guilty by North Korea's top court of allegedly entering the country illegally, according to state media.
The North Korean News Agency said they were also found guilty of what it described as another, unspecified "grave crime".
The two women were arrested three months ago on the Chinese-North Korean border. They were reportedly covering a story about refugees for the California-based internet broadcaster Current TV.
"We are deeply concerned by the reported sentencing of the two American citizen journalists by North Korean authorities and we are engaged through all possible channels to secure their release," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said in a statement.
The sentences are likely to further fuel tensions with Washington after North Korea's April 5 rocket launch and May 25 nuclear test.
nk/dpa/ap