North Korea arrests student from US for illegal entry

North Korea said it has arrested a South Korean student of New York University for illegally entering the country from China last month.

Won Moon Joo, who North Korea says has permanent residency in the U.S. and lives in New Jersey, was arrested on April 22 after crossing the Amnok River from the Chinese border town of Dandong, the official Korean Central News Agency reported Saturday.

The 21-year-old man is being questioned by state authorities and has admitted that his actions were in violation of North Korean law, the agency said.

In New York, a spokesman for New York University, John Beckman, confirmed that Joo was a junior at NYU’s Stern School of Business, but that he was not taking classes this semester and the university was unaware of his travels.

North Korea has occasionally detained South Koreans, Americans and other foreigners, often on accusations of spying.

In March, North Korea announced that it had detained two South Korean citizens over alleged espionage. It has been holding another South Korean man since late 2013 on suspicion of spying and allegedly trying to set up underground churches in the North. He was sentenced last year to life in prison with hard labor.

[Associated Press]

This entry was posted in China, DPRK Government, Humanitarian Aid and Relief by Grant Montgomery.