180px-korea_north_map.png CNN Reports:

Two U.S. journalists, who were detained in North Korea while covering the plight of defectors living along the China-North Korea border, have been sentenced to 12 years hard labor in prison, the country's state-run media said Monday.

This will — and should — become a tipping point for the State Department's hobbled approach to North Korea, which remains one of the most dangerous nuclear-armed nations in the world. Of note is who the journalists worked for.

[Female journalists Laura] Ling and [Euana] Lee were taken into custody March 17. They are reporters for California-based Current TV, a media venture of former U.S. Vice President Al Gore.