North Korea to try 2 U.S. journalists for 'hostile' acts

North Korea has decided to put two U.S. journalists on trial following an investigation into allegations that they entered the country illegally and conducted "hostile acts," state-run media said Friday.

Laura Ling and Euna Lee, journalists working for former U.S. vice-president Al Gore's San Francisco-based Current TV media venture, were arrested March 17 near the North Korean border while reporting on refugees living in China.

Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency said Friday that the investigation had concluded and that the reporters would stand trial "on the basis of the confirmed crimes." It did not say exactly what charges they face or when the trial would take place.

State-run media had said late last month that the reporters were being investigated for illegal entry and unspecified "hostile acts."

Under North Korea's criminal code, conviction for illegal entry could mean up to three years in a labour camp.

It was unclear what charges would be applied for "hostile acts," South Korean legal expert Moon Dae-hong said, but conviction on espionage or "hostility toward North Koreans" carries a sentence of five to 10 years in prison.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Fred Lash said Thursday night he had not seen the report and had no comment.

Current TV officials were not available for comment.

In Seoul, Unification Ministry spokesman Kim Ho-nyeon urged the North to abide by legal procedures during the trial.

Reporters Without Borders, an international organization advocating for media freedom, condemned the women's detentions last week, saying "they were simply doing their job as journalists."

The Americans' prolonged detention comes amid discord over North Korea's April 5 rocket launch, which several major countries have called a test of long-range missile technology and which they say violated United Nations resolutions.