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Seoul (AFP) - North Korea said Saturday it had arrested a South Korean student, who attends New York University and has permanent US residency, for illegally entering the country from China last month.
The North's official KCNA news agency identified the man as 21-year-old Won Moon-Joo.
Won was arrested after crossing the Yalu River from the Chinese border city of Dandong on April 22, KCNA said.
The news agency said Won had admitted his illegal entry was a "serious violation" and added that his case was under investigation.
It offered no details as to what had motivated Won to cross into North Korea.
In March, North Korea said it had arrested two South Koreans on espionage charges, describing them as "heinous terrorists" operating out of a base in Dandong.
Many Christian groups, mostly run by South Koreans, are active along the Chinese border with North Korea.
Some conduct clandestine missionary work in the North, while others focus on helping North Koreans escape the country.
South Korean student detained after crossing into North Korea says he 'wanted to be arrested'
PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 06 May, 2015, 7:06am
UPDATED : Wednesday, 06 May, 2015, 7:06am
Agence France-Presse in Seoul
A screen grab from Joo Won-moon's interview with CNN from Pyongyang on Tuesday. Photo: CNN
A South Korean student held in North Korea for illegal entry has told CNN in an interview from Pyongyang that he wanted to be arrested. Joo Won-Moon, 21, who attends New York University and has permanent US residency, said he had hoped to create an "event" that could improve relations between North and South Korea.
It was unclear whether he was speaking freely or had been told by North Korean authorities what to say.
"I wanted to be arrested," Joo told a CNN reporter, looking relaxed and even smiling as he walked into a conference room at Pyongyang's Koryo Hotel for the interview.
Joo was arrested after crossing the Yalu River into the North from the Chinese border city of Dandong on April 22, Pyongyang's official KCNA news agency said on Saturday.
He said he crossed two barbed wire fences and walked through farmland until he reached a river, which he followed until soldiers arrested him.
"I thought that by my entrance to the DPRK [North Korea], illegally I acknowledge, I thought that some great event could happen and hopefully that event could have a good effect on the relations between the North and [South Korea]," Joo said.
"I hope that I will be able to tell the world how an ordinary college student entered the DPRK illegally but however with the generous treatment of the DPRK that I will be able to return home."
Joo was born in Seoul, moved to Wisconsin with his family in 2001 and then moved again to Rhode Island. He said he understood that his parents were worried about him but he was being well treated.
He told CNN he had not yet been informed what charges he might face but was being held in very comfortable conditions.
KCNA said Joo had admitted that his illegal entry was a "serious violation" and added that his case was under investigation.
South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles relations with the North, said it was "extremely regrettable" the North had detained Joo and called for his immediate repatriation.
