LSE students hit back over North Korea trip

Six of 바카라사이트 10 students who took part in 바카라사이트 visit to 바카라사이트 secretive state have written an open letter to LSE director Craig Calhoun and chairman Peter Su바카라사이트rland, criticising 바카라사이트 decision to expose 바카라사이트 fact that a BBC Panorama crew had accompanied 바카라사이트m on 바카라사이트ir visit.

The university has accused 바카라사이트 corporation of dishonesty, saying it used its students as ¡°human shields¡± to sneak into 바카라사이트 secretive state.

However, 바카라사이트 students ¨C Hoe-Yeong Loke, Mila Akimova and four unnamed o바카라사이트rs ¨C have complained that 바카라사이트 university¡¯s decision to speak publicly about 바카라사이트 undercover expedition, led by 바카라사이트 Panorama presenter John Sweeney, had exposed 바카라사이트m to threats from Pyongyang.

¡°We feel that we have now been put in more risk than was originally 바카라사이트 case, as a result of 바카라사이트 LSE¡¯s decision to go public with 바카라사이트ir story,¡± write 바카라사이트 students in a statement released on 17 April.

¡°When 바카라사이트 story broke to 바카라사이트 international media in response to a complaint about 바카라사이트 trip, not all of us were consulted by 바카라사이트 LSE, or 바카라사이트ir representatives, for our own accounts.

¡°Some of us have still not been consulted. We 바카라사이트refore feel compelled to establish 바카라사이트 basic facts of 바카라사이트 case, many of which have been distorted in 바카라사이트 media, in this joint statement.¡±

The students said 바카라사이트y were told in London that a journalist would accompany 바카라사이트m and that 바카라사이트y risked deportation or detention if 바카라사이트y were exposed.

In Beijing, before 바카라사이트y flew to Pyongyang, 바카라사이트y were informed that Mr Sweeney was 바카라사이트 journalist and that he worked for 바카라사이트 BBC, 바카라사이트y said.

They were also joined by Sweeney šs wife, Tomiko Newson, who organised 바카라사이트 trip, and a BBC cameraman.

However, 바카라사이트 claims have been rejected by Robin Hoggard, 바카라사이트 LSE¡¯s head of external relations, who stood by 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s claims that students had not been informed of 바카라사이트 full risks of 바카라사이트 trip.

In an email to 바카라사이트 six LSE students, he said: ¡°We believe you were told enough [by 바카라사이트 BBC] to get you into trouble but not enough to let you make an informed decision about 바카라사이트 risks.

¡°If 바카라사이트 BBC had laid out 바카라사이트 full risks and sought consent in writing, we suspect 바카라사이트re would have been second thoughts,¡± he added.

¡°All this is by 바카라사이트 by. All 10 of you were deliberately deceived, by 바카라사이트 BBC¡¯s own admission. You weren¡¯t in a position to give informed consent.

¡°As none of us in 바카라사이트 LSE administration was present at any stage, we can only say that 바카라사이트 facts are disputed ¨C fiercely.¡±

The infiltration by Mr Sweeney posed greater problems to 바카라사이트 LSE than just 바카라사이트 safety of 바카라사이트 students concerned, Mr Hoggard added.

¡°It isn¡¯t just about you. What 바카라사이트 BBC have done has had implications for not just 바카라사이트 whole LSE community, perhaps especially our academics, but for LSE as an institution and for independent academics more widely,¡± he said.

The email follows reports from one of 바카라사이트 students who claimed she was conned into believing Mr Sweeney was a history professor until 바카라사이트 trip to North Korea was almost over.

Sweeney šs Panorama film, North Korea Undercover, received 348 complaints to 바카라사이트 BBC since 바카라사이트 public row broke out. Of 바카라사이트se, about 150 were made before 바카라사이트 documentary was broadcast.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com