Laura Ling Biography

Laura Ling (Full name – Laura G. Ling; Chinese: 凌志美) is an American journalist and writer who was born on December 1, 1976, Carmichael, California, U.S. She worked for Current TV as a correspondent and vice president of its Vanguard Journalism Unit, which produced the Vanguard TV series. Current Tv was owned by former Vice President Al Gore until 2013.

Ling was the host and reporter on a documentary series on the E! Network, E! Investigates. It was announced that Ling joined Discovery Digital Networks in November 2014, as its Director of Development. Ling is the sister of Lisa Ling, who is a special correspondent for the National Geographic Explorer, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and CNN.

Laura Ling Parents

Ling was born in Carmichael, California to her father, Doug, an immigrant born in China during the 1920s; her mother Mary Mei-yan (née Wang) is an immigrant from Tainan, Taiwan and was the head of the Los Angeles office of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs.

Her parents divorced when Laura was four years old and her sister Lisa was seven. The two sisters were raised in Sacramento, California, by their father following the divorce. Ling identifies as Chinese American.

Laura Ling Husband

Ling is married to financial analyst, Iain Clayton. She gave birth to her first baby, a girl, naming her Li Jefferson Clayton, in Burbank, California. Laura Ling and her husband decided to name the baby Li, after Laura’s sister Lisa and chose Jefferson since it was President Clinton’s middle name. The couple also has a son named Kai, born on December 18, 2013.

Laura Ling Age

Ling was born on December 1, 1976, Carmichael, California. She studied at Del Campo High School in Fair Oaks, California and graduated with a communications degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1998. Ling is 43 years old in 2019.

Laura Ling Euna Lee | Bill Clinton

Laura Ling and fellow journalist Euna Lee were captured and detained in North Korea after they were caught filming refugees from North Korea who had crossed the river and entered China. Many of these refugees were women who were sold as brides once they crossed the border.

Ling says the North Korean guards dragged her across the border. Once in North Korean cells, they were tried and convicted. They were subsequently pardoned and released after former U.S. President Bill Clinton flew to North Korea to meet with Kim Jong-il, then-leader of North Korea.

Laura Ling Book

Somewhere Inside: One Sister’s Captivity in North Korea and the Other’s Fight to Bring Her Home, 2010, is Laura Ling’s first book. It details how she and fellow journalist Euna Lee were captured in North Korea while filming a documentary along the China-North Korea border.

The two women were charged with the illegal entry for crossing into North Korea — and after several months of interrogation by North Korean officials, sentenced to 12 years of hard labor in one of North Korea’s prison camps.  She further narrates how special envoy, former President Bill Clinton, traveled to Pyongyang to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. Clinton made the trip in August 2009, after Laura and Euna had spent 140 days in captivity, and helped secure their release.

Ling is also the author of Positive Parenting in Action: The How-to Guide for Putting Positive Parenting Principles Into Action in Early Childhood, 2013. This book gives parenting advice in raising young children.

Laura Ling Net Worth

Ling has appeared on numerous networks and organizations which helped her to earn a huge amount of money and live a comfortable life. Her net worth is reported to be around $2.5 million. Ling stands 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 115 lbs.

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