U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said charges against two American journalists detained in North Korea for illegally entering the country are baseless and they should be allowed to return home.

The U.S. government believes "that the charges against these young women are absolutely without merit or foundation," Clinton said on ABC television's "This Week." Clinton nodded when asked if she'd sent a letter asking for their release.

"I have taken every action that we thought would produce the result we're looking for," Clinton said. "We hope the trial ends quickly, it's resolved, and they're sent home."

North Korea began the trial of Euna Lee and Laura Ling on June 4, amid escalating tensions with the Obama administration after detonating a nuclear device on May 25. Kim Jong Il's regime alleges they entered the country illegally from China.

The two journalists were detained along the border March 17 while reporting for San Francisco-based Current TV, co-founded by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore.

By Heejin Koo, Bloomberg, June 8, 2008