North Korea detains third US tourist
North Korea has arrested a US tourist for violating visa regulations, Pyongyang\’s state media said today, with three Americans now believed to be held by the reclusive regime.
A State Department official said Washington is aware of reports that a U.S. citizen was detained by the North.
No specific action or motivation was given that may have led to the arrest of Fowle, who is the third American being held by the North.
The North in April arrested 24-year-old tourist Matthew Todd Miller, who is said to have ripped up his visa and demanded asylum.
Korean-American missionary Kenneth Bae was also arrested in 2012. He was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor on subversion charges.
Late last year, American tourist and Korean War veteran Merrill Newman, who is in his 80s, was held for about a month before being released.
Most Americans detained in North Korea are freed after reading video-taped confessions to various charges.
In some other cases, high-profile former U.S. leaders have had to travel to North Korea to win the detainees\’ release.
Many analysts say Pyongyang uses the Americans as a bargaining chip to extract concessions from the U.S. over its nuclear and missile programs.
Source – Agencies
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