Return to Transcripts main page

Legal View with Ashleigh Banfield

North Korea Lets Three Americans Speak

Aired September 01, 2014 - 12:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone, I'm Ashleigh Banfield, on this Labor Day. Welcome to LEGAL VIEW.

They all say they're guilty, they all say they're being treated humanely, and they all say they want their government to help them. Three American citizens accused of break laws in North Korea. They, today, got an exceedingly rare opportunity to speak to the outside world via CNN. Jeffrey Edward Fowle, Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller were given five minutes each to answer questions posed by CNN correspondent Will Ripley, who himself was touring the country and was given no advance word that these interviews were going to happen. We're about to play these remarkable encounters, uncut, exactly as they happened. But first, a quick reminder of who these prisoners are.

Kenneth Bae is a 46-year-old tour operator from Washington state. He was arrested in November of 2012 for, quote, "carrying out serious crimes against North Korea." A devout Christian, Bae apparently was suspected of evangelizing. He was sentenced last year to 15 years hard labor.

Matthew Miller is 24 years old and he's from Bakersfield, California. He was picked up in April after allegedly tearing up his tourist visa and asking for asylum. The specific charges have not yet been announced, apparently pending trial, which apparently is going to happen soon.

Jeffrey Fowle is the eldest of the three, and he's the most recently detained as well. He was taken into custody in May for allegedly leaving a Bible behind in his hotel. And he, too, is awaiting trial.

Of course, Pyongyang set serious conditions for these interviews. The prisoners were allowed to speak only about their alleged offenses and how they're being treated. They also were allowed to pass along messages to their family and to the Obama administration. Here, now, is Will Ripley's interview, start to finish, starting with Kenneth Bae.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Mr. Bae, Will Ripley with CNN.

KENNETH BAE, IMPRISONED IN NORTH KOREA: Hi.

RIPLEY: Hi. It's good to see you. I'm going to pull this a little closer to (INAUDIBLE). Have a seat. So we have five minutes. And I'm sure there's a lot that you want to say. So just try to keep your answers as concise as you can to get your point across, Mr. Bae.

BAE: Sure.

RIPLEY: It's good to see you. Are we ready to get started? OK. First of all, what do you know about the charges that you now -- do you believe you're guilty of the charges that you've been convicted of here?

BAE: Yes.

RIPLEY: And you're currently serving time. Can you tell me about your conditions?

BAE: Yes, I'm serving a 15-year sentence right now. And I've been going back and forth from hospital to the labor camp for the last year and a half. And right now I'm serving at the labor camp right now.

RIPLEY: Can you tell me about the conditions at the labor camp?

BAE: Condition in labor camp is I'm working eight hours a day, six days a week, and working agricultural work to other hard labor that is required to do every day.

RIPLEY: Do you think you're being treated humanely?

BAE: Yes.

RIPLEY: And your message to your family?

BAE: Well, I'm sure they're very worried about my health at this time. And even though right now, last month and a half, my health been, or so, not -- it's been failing. So right now that I -- what I can say to my family and friends, that is, to continue to pray for me, and also ask them to, you know, continue an effort in getting me released here.

RIPLEY: When you say your health is failing, do you have specific details?

BAE: Well, I do have sleep disorder right now and back pain, serial (ph) back pain, and also (INAUDIBLE) condition is not doing so well. So I get (INAUDIBLE) and numb and my - I have tingling hands and so it's been very difficult sleeping at night and also working in the field every day.

RIPLEY: Your message for the American government?

BAE: For American government is right now, I've been asking the American government to act upon getting me released here. And I do believe that special envoy need to come in order to resolve the situation that I am in right now. So I do ask the U.S. government to send an envoy as soon as possible. And I think that's the only hope I have right now in order for me to go home, be reunited with my family.

RIPLEY: When you acted the way that you did, can you tell me what you did and did you know at that time that you were breaking the law here in North Korea? BAE: Well, I do - I did have some assumptions, but I did not quite

agree with the charges until I got here. So -- and after being - trial for, you know, that - during a period of time, that I realize that what I done has offended and has violated their law. But at the time that I wasn't quite sure that it was quite serious as they were charging me now.

RIPLEY: What is the bottom line about your situation here and the message that you want to put out to the world?

BAE: So, right now, is that I'm here. I've been here for almost two years now. And then -- and I do believe that I'm -- I've been treated humanely as possible. They have been doing that for me. But at the same time, I realize that, at this point, that is, I've been here - I think -- I'm the American who's been here the longest, since the Korean War, and I do believe that sooner that this get resolved, it would be better for -- not only for myself, for rest of other Americans may come here in the future as well.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).

RIPLEY: Can you give me more insight about your daily life and do you have contact with any of the other Americans?

BAE: No.

RIPLEY: Or Korean - or other people, Koreans, that are in prison?

BAE: No, there's actually -- I'm the only prisoner in the camp. I've been only prisoner at the camp for last year and a half. I didn't have anybody else in the camp, other than the guard and - and there was - there's one doctor stationed in there as well.

RIPLEY: So how many staff members are overseeing you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).

BAE: At least 15 or 20 people, daily basis. But there, I think, are about 30 more - 30 or more people in the camp.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).

RIPLEY: Do you get to talk to people on a daily basis? Do you have -- what kind of communication do you have?

BAE: Just talking with -- just with the guard and, you know, just, you know, small talk and that's all.

RIPLEY: Anything else important you want to say in our final seconds?

BAE: Well, I do need help from the U.S. government. And my health is failing. And that I've been -- since the last time I was transferred back from the hospital to the camp, I lost already 15 pounds or more. And it's been very difficult to stay in camp right now. So I do ask the U.S. government and people out there to really put an effort to send somebody to make it work. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Twelve seconds.

RIPLEY: OK. Thank you, Mr. Bae.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you. (INAUDIBLE). All right, thank you for coming.

BAE: Thanks for coming.

RIPLEY: Best of luck to you. Yes, we'll put the word out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When did you move back to the prison camp last time?

BAE: July 21.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BANFIELD: And that was the last our crew saw of Kenneth Bae.

We're going to hear the stories from the other detained Americans in just a moment.

And later this hour, our own Will Ripley is still in North Korea, and he's going to join us live from there to explain a little bit more about what these interviews were like, how he got them, and what things were like behind the scenes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANFIELD: Welcome back.

We've been brining you the story of these three Americans who are being held in North Korea, and they're speaking to CNN. And we're just now getting a statement from the National Security Council about these interviews. I'm going to give that statement to you in just a moment.

But first, five minutes, five minutes to tell the entire world that you're being treated humanely. The three Americans who are currently being detained in North Korea, Kenneth Bae, Matthew Todd Miller and Jeffrey Fowle were able to sit down with CNN to tell their stories and to plead for help from the United States government. CNN met the prisoners at a hotel in Pyongyang where they were held in separate rooms. Matthew Todd Miller was taken into custody by the North Korean regime back on April the 10th. He was accused of tearing up his tourist visa and seeking asylum upon entry. Here is CNN's Will Ripley with Matthew's full interview uncut.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RIPLEY: Hi, Will Ripley, CNN.

MATTHEW MILLER, IMPRISONED IN NORTH KOREA: OK.

RIPLEY: Hi. We were going to chat here. You can have a seat if you want. We have five minutes. MILLER: OK.

RIPLEY: So we'll try to keep, you know, answers brief and get your message out, OK?

MILLER: OK.

RIPLEY: Are we ready to start, guys?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).

RIPLEY: OK. So first of all, can you tell me about the charges you're facing here in North Korea?

MILLER: I will not find out until I go to trial, but I will say that I prepared to violate the law of the DPRK before coming here, and I deliberately committed my crime. I have already admitted my guilt and apologized to the governments of the DPRK and I've been asking for forgiveness.

RIPLEY: Did you tear up your visa and seek asylum? Is that report accurate?

MILLER: The previous interview, that is what I said. So I'm not here to discuss --

RIPLEY: Matt, tell me about your conditions here, how you're being treated.

MILLER: I am in -- with good health. I've received medical checks and provided with humanitarian treatment.

RIPLEY: And what is your message to your family?

MILLER: First I'll just say my message to my government. I've been requesting help for a long time and there's been no movements from my government. The American government is known for having a strong policy of protecting its citizens, yet for my case there is still no movement. I've also written a letter to my president with no reply.

RIPLEY: While you're in North Korea?

MILLER: Yes, about one month ago. So for this reason, I am disappointed in my governments. However, I want to believe that my governments or someone is trying their best to help me and I would be very glad to meet the person that saves me.

RIPLEY: Why did you come here seeking asylum?

MILLER: During my investigation, I have discussed my motive. And for the interview it is not necessary.

RIPLEY: What's your message to your family?

MILLER: I've had the opportunity to phone call them, so I've already spoken to them. RIPLEY: What's the bottom line about your situation here and your

message that you want to put out?

MILLER: That my situation is very urgent. That very soon I'm going to trial and I would directly be sent to prison. I think this is - this interview is my final chance to push the American government into helping me.

RIPLEY: So if it's your final chance, what do you want to tell them that you haven't already said?

MILLER: That I need help and they need to quickly make movement because there's not much time.

RIPLEY: Were you aware of the possibility consequences when you acted the way you did when you entered this country?

MILLER: Yes, I was expecting to be detained.

RIPLEY: Were you expecting to be detained as long as you have been?

MILLER: Yes.

RIPLEY: But you're now seeking the help of the American government to go home? Why? Why do you not want to stay here any longer?

MILLER: No comment.

RIPLEY: Anything else that you'd like to say about this?

MILLER: No, that is all. Thank you for meeting me.

RIPLEY: OK. You have a few more minutes so you have an opportunity to say something about your conditions here. Any other message? This may be your last chance to get the word out.

MILLER: No, I've given my message.

RIPLEY: OK, thank you, good luck, OK? OK, thanks. Yes, OK.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BANFIELD: Obviously, as you can see, these are extraordinary conditions these interviews are being conducted under, Matthew Miller not even using his entire five minutes, and that's all that was allotted to each of these prisoners to speak with our Will Ripley.

I want to let you know the Obama administration has now released a statement via the National Security Council, and our Brian Todd has been able to get this statement from spokesperson who has said, quote, "We have seen the reports of interviews with the three American citizens detained in North Korea, securing the release of U.S. citizens is a top priority, and we have followed these cases closely in the White House.

"We continue to do all we can to secure their earliest possible release." And that comes to us courtesy of the national security council spokesperson. Our thanks to Brian Todd for getting that comment.

Interestingly enough, we have seen reports of the interviews, not necessarily that they have seen the interviews themselves. We'll continue to follow that as well.

And we've got that last interview as well with Jeffrey Fowle. That's coming up next.

And we'll take you live to North Korea for more of the story where our own Will Ripley is still in country. He conducted these incredible interviews. He's going to talk about them next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANFIELD: Detained in May for allegedly leaving a Bible behind at his hotel, Jeffrey Fowle is accused of violating the law by acting contrary to the purpose of tourism in North Korea.

In CNN's interview with Fowle, he said he's admitted his guilt and requested forgiveness from the North Korean government.

Here is CNN's Will Ripley with the full, uncut interview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RIPLEY: Give me a cue when we're ready to start.

JEFFREY FOWLE, DETAINED IN NORTH KOREA: I'd like to thank you guys for being here. I appreciate you guys taking the time to come and see me, get my message out to the world.

RIPLEY: Can you tell us about the charges you've been facing as you've been told?

FOWLE: The charges are -- the violation of DPRK law, which stems from me trying to leave a Bible up at the -- for the trip DPRK. Violation as well.

I admitted my guilt to the government, and I signed a statement to that effect, and I've also put in request for forgiveness to the people and the government of the DPRK.

And the legal process is ongoing right now. It's in the final stages of the investigation. The prosecutor's office, they say the trial will be forthcoming soon.

So time is getting urgent. Within a month, I should be facing trial and sentencing Will be right after that.

So I need you guys to convey my desperate situation. I'm 56. I'm from the Dayton, Ohio, area.

RIPLEY: We know your background, sir, we know your family background.

FOWLE: OK.

RIPLEY: How are you being treated here?

FOWLE: Very -- reasonably well. I have no complaints. The food's been good, daily walk with the guides. Even medical care's been furnished a couple of times. And quarters, good, hotel suite-type of room.

So I don't have any complaint about the treatment. It's been very good so far. I hope and pray it continues. I'm here two more days or two more decades, whatever the case is.

RIPLEY: Your message to your family?

FOWLE: Message is, I'll come home as soon as I can. My family is the biggest thing on my mind right now. I've got my wife and three school aged kids that depend on me for support. My mother-in-law is staying with me too, so there's six of us in our household.

I'm gone and my wife's trying to operate the household herself. It's a chore to do. She's dependent on my salary, almost a single-salary household. My wife's got a small part-time job as a hairstylist. She only works part time. So money's going to be tight.

And if my -- if this goes beyond the end of September, then I'm in grave danger of losing my job. That's when my vacation benefits run out. I'll be out of a job, will be out of income. My kids might be out on the street.

Our house is paid for, but there's all kinds of expenses to operate a mini-arm, which is what we got. The kids are helping as best they can. Jobs are piling up. I need to get back to doing what I do around the house there, going back to work. Hopefully that job will be open when I get back soon.

I got -- today's the first -- in three more days, my oldest is going to be turning -- having a birthday. I missed my middle kid's birthday back in June. The day I found out I was in this deep trouble, my daughter's birthday. So I've missed a lot of birthdays since.

I've been here in detention since the seventh of May, so I appreciate what you guys are doing, getting the message out.

I also want to express my gratitude to the governments involved, conveying messages back and forth. Information's precious to me in the last few months. I don't get any information on things.

I appreciate the government, Swedish embassy too, even the Russian government. My wife is half-Russian, dual citizenship. She wrote to Vladimir Putin and he referred the letter to Sergei Lavrov's office, and he wrote back to my wife.

So the Russian government's involved. They say they can't do anything right now. But they're going to keep an eye on the situation.

RIPLEY: So the bottom line, you message about the conditions here and your situation? FOWLE: I'm good for the time being, but I need to let people know that

I'm getting desperate. I'm getting desperate for help.

This is -- I understand that there are three Americans in detention now here in the DPRK, which I think is the most since the Pueblo incident.

RIPLEY: And you have no communication with the others?

FOWLE: No. I know the name of the third guy. I know Ken Bae's been here the longest, Kenneth Bae. I'm sure he's desperate to get back. And this is an opportunity for maybe Bill Clinton to come back. And he had released a couple journalists a few years back.

Maybe George Bush, it's his turn as an elder statesmen to try his hand at that. I appreciate any help that they could lend, helping resolve our cases and bring us home.

RIPLEY: Mr. Fowle, thank you very much.

FOWLE: Thank you very much.

RIPLEY: Thank you.

OK, yeah.

FOWLE: (Inaudible).

RIPLEY: OK. Best of luck to you.

FOWLE: Ken was your name?

RIPLEY: Will.

FOWLE: Will Ripley.

RIPLEY: With CNN.

Yeah, we'll convey the message.

FOWLE: Thank you for being here. I appreciate the time.

RIPLEY: It's good to see you in good health.

FOWLE: So far, I'm being well treated. I don't have any complaints. I thank the staff.

RIPLEY: OK, terrific, thank you.

FOWLE: Thank you, Will.

RIPLEY: OK, thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BANFIELD: Once again, it can't be overstated the remarkable nature of these interviews by Will Ripley, and that was Jeffrey Fowle, again, the last that our crew saw of Jeffrey when they left that room.

And, coming up, we're going to get the story behind these interviews from Will Ripley who's still in-country. He's still in North Korea.

He's going to join me live from Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, for more on this incredible access and more on the stories of these three American prisoners. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)