Here’s one I shot for the AP a couple weeks back. Robert Park had just returned from a 6-week detainment in a North Korean prison and wasn’t open to making much of a public appearance to talk about his experience or make a statement regarding his cause. His family was allowed to meet him behind closed doors and leave the airport via a private exit. They agreed to drive him by the baggage claim and roll the window down for about 5 seconds so we could see him. At that point his brother hopped out of the car to talk to the media and the car drove off. So this is about as much as anyone got.
U.S. Missionary Robert Park sits in a car with his mother and father following his return to the U.S. at the to the Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday, Feb. 06, 2010. Park was detained in North Korea after crossing the border from China on Christmas Day. (AP Photo/David Zentz)
Laura Ling and Euna Lee
Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Laura Ling and Euna Lee at the Burbank Airport
This morning I got up at 2:30, a time which is much closer to that at which I usually go to sleep, to shoot the arrival of the American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee at the Burbank Airport. I covered this story a couple months ago (both times for the Associated Press) when things were quite somber. But today was the exact opposite as the pair from Al Gore’s Current TV arrived, along with their new hero Bill Clinton, in a private, Steve Bing-owned jet, to reunite with their families after 4 months without communication while they were being held prisoner in North Korea. As I’m sure you all know, the two had been sentenced to 12 years in a labor camp after being arrested for crossing the North Korean border while working on a documentary project for Current TV. That was, until 30 hours before their speedy arrival home following successful negotiations by Clinton for their release. I was trying to imagine how surreal it must have felt to be in the mindset that you’re about to be shipped off to a labor prison, and then without warning to have a door open and see former president Clinton standing there waiting to take you home. Hard to fathom. Despite the early wake up, and despite being part of a media pack that I usually try to avoid, it was a cool story to be a part of.
Last week I shot for the AP a vigil in Santa Monica for imprisoned U.S. journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee on what was to be the eve of their trial in North Korea. The two reporters for Current TV were arrested on March 17 by the North Korean military while shooting video for a story about the trafficking of women along the border of China. In attendance were former View co-host Lisa Ling, sister of Laura, Euna Lee’s husband, friends, family and a number of local celebs. The trial was apparently delayed, but news came two days ago that the two were found guilty of “hostile acts” and entering the country illegally and have been sentenced to 12 years hard labor in a gulag-style prison camp. The U.S. has no diplomatic relations with North Korea, but officials as high up as Hillary Clinton have called for their release. There is also an online petition and a Facebook group dedicated to the cause. I tracked these images the next day and saw that they ran in a number of papers around the country including the Washington Post, LA Times and USA Today. It was nice to be part of a story that has such a wide impact. Hopefully this will all be resolved soon! A few more images after the jump.
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