Freed U.S. Journalists Held In North Korea Were Separated, Fed Bad Food

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Two American journalists who returned home Wednesday after being held nearly five months in North Korea were separated and fed bad food during their ordeal, but their families never lost faith that they would come back.

The sister of journalist Laura Ling says Ling was eager to taste fresh fruit because she’d been fed rice with rocks in it during 140 days in captivity.

Ling and Euna Lee were sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for entering the North Korea illegally but were granted a pardon following talks between former President Bill Clinton and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

They flew into a Burbank airport early Wednesday and were greeted with hugs and tears by their families.

Ling’s sister says she kept faith that Ling would be freed.