Backgrounder: Detention, trial of two U.S. journalists by DPRK　

PYONGYANG, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. President Bill Clinton arrived in Pyongyang, the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), on Tuesday.

DPRK officials did not reveal the purpose of Clinton's visit, but the visit is reportedly related with negotiations for the release of two detained American journalists.

The two U.S. journalist, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, were sentenced by the DPRK's highest court in June to 12 years of what it called "reform through labor."

The two women, who worked for the San Francisco-based Current TV co-founded by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, were captured on March 17 by DPRK border guards for allegedly crossing the DPRK border from China and committing "hostile actions" against the country.

U.S. media said they were planning to gather video footage along the Tumen River about the hardship facing the DPRK refugees. The two admitted they had violated the DPRK's law.

Ling, 32, is Chinese-American and a native of California. Her sister is National Geographic "Explorer" TV journalist Lisa Ling.

Lee, 36, a Korean-American, lives in California.