North Korea says detains American for trespassing

By IBTimes Staff Reporter | January 28 2010 3:18 AM

SEOUL- North Korea said on Thursday it had detained an American who crossed into its territory from China on January 25 and was interrogating him.

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The North's official KCNA news agency said the man was trespassing but gave no further details.

North Korea has been holding another U.S. citizen, activist Robert Park, who was captured in December when he crossed into the communist state saying he planned to raise awareness about its human rights abuses.

In August, former U.S. President Bill Clinton went to North Korea to win the release of two American journalists held by the state for about four months for suspected illegal entry. Clinton's high-profile visit paved the way for direct U.S.-North Korean nuclear talks.

Analysts have said North Korea may try to use Park as a bargaining chip with the United States in high-stakes negotiations over the North's nuclear ambitions.

(Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)