Lisa Ling Pleads for Sister’s Release

North Korea’s tense relations with the United States have taken a personal toll for Lisa Ling, former co-host of The View. Her sister, Laura Ling, and fellow American journalist Euna Lee were imprisoned three months ago for ‘illegal entry’ and ‘hostility to the Korean nation.’ As their trial approaches on June 4, the families have finally opened up. “We have been holding our breath everyday as we’ve watched the political situation on the Korean Peninsula grow increasingly tense,” the families wrote in a joint statement. “Our loved ones sit in the midst of it. We desperately urge the governments of the United States and North Korea to keep our issues separate from the larger geopolitical stand-off… Laura was being treated for an ulcer prior to her departure, and in our limited communication with her we fear it has become more serious since her detainment and requires immediate medical attention.”