Oh, who could ever have predicted this? Now Euna Lee... one of the stupogants who crossed into North Korea, made all of America think that she and reporter Laura Ling had been kidnapped, forced former President Bill Clinton to go to Pyongyang for a face-enhancing visit to Kim Jong-il, and above all endangered the lives of untold numbers of North Korean refugees and would-be escapees — those on the tapes they'd carried into North Korea and those who lost that porous part of the border as an escape route — by their stupogance... is going to write a book on her experience.Anger makes me write run-on sentences. I guess the best thing to do is point you in the direction of all the ink I've already spilled on this. Click here.
And don't buy this book. Or the Laura Ling and Lisa Ling book about sisterhood and being forced to eat stony rice in the Pyongyang Palazzo.
Any word on what she plans to do with the proceeds?
ReplyDeleteNo, but that's the one way she could redeem herself. In my mind, Euna Lee is the least culpable for this whole mess, and perhaps the most contrite. Or at least, she's the least non-contrite.
ReplyDeleteI don't have the money ._-
ReplyDeleteI'm certain a chunk of the proceeds will go to refugee aid groups.
ReplyDeleteBut people will have to buy the book for that to happen.
Jeremy, what makes you certain of this? Is it inside knowledge or speculation?
ReplyDeleteAnd even if some of the book's proceeds go to help refugee aid groups, that doesn't mean that her book (or the Lings' book, or a book by Mitch Koss once he decides to get in on the action) will not also tip their hand enough for DPRK or PRC authorities to gather even more intelligence.
As I wrote at One Free Korea:
At least two of the three stupogants didn’t think it imprudent to carry with themselves videotape of the North Korean refugees they had interviewed when they entered North Korea illegally.
With such utter lack of sense, I shudder to think what deadly foolishness might spring from Laura Ling’s or Euna Lee’s book. I could see them laying out a bunch of information that will be pored over closely by North Korean authorities for clues.
Really, is this in anyone’s best interest who isn’t making a dollar from it?
It's all about the Benjamins, not the nanmin.
Well, considering the criticism they've gotten over the crackdown on refugees and groups trying to help them, it would look worse for her or them if they didn't.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I follow, Jeremy. And rather than writing an answer based on what I think you might be saying, it's probably more prudent to ask for clarification.
ReplyDeleteKushibo,
ReplyDeleteI think Jeremy made it pretty clear that he's speculating.
Won Joon Choe wrote:
ReplyDeleteI think Jeremy made it pretty clear that he's speculating.
Jeremy has insinuated that he knows someone who knows someone, which is why I asked.
Jeremy, if I'm speaking out of line, please let me know and I'll gladly remove this comment.
Even if the proceeds are used for refugee aid...I still don't think enough would be donated and I still wouldn't recommend buying it. If anybody is concerned about proceeds to aid refugees, there are some places you can directly donate money to. BTW, I always thought Euna's daughter was just so adorable (look at that pic). I would buy her a little toy if I could.
ReplyDelete