Al Gore Seeks Release of 2 US Reporters in N. Korea

Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore has asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to help facilitate the release of two American journalists detained by North Korea, CNN said yesterday.

Gore is co-founder of online media outlet Current TV, for which the two reporters work for.

CNN quoted a senior Obama administration official as saying Gore asked Clinton to achieve a quick resolution to the situation. "She is very engaged and is following it closely," the official was quoted as saying.

The U.S. State Department has expressed U.S. concern to the North through the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang and is working with the Chinese government on the case.

In New York, the North`s representative office at the United Nations said that if intruders are caught, they will be dealt with under domestic law.

He said Pyongyang would do the same with people from other countries if they entered North Korean territory without going through the proper procedures.

changkim@donga.com