A US national, said to be an American soldier, has been detained in North Korea after crossing the border, a UN body says.
The United Nations Command, which operates the Demilitarized Zone and joint security area (JSA) said the man did not have authorisation.
“We believe he is currently in DPRK custody and are working with our KPA counterparts to resolve this incident”, it said.
BBC News has contacted the US Department of State for comment.
The man is believed to be the only US citizen currently in North Korean custody.
The KPA is the Korean People’s Army – North Korea’s military. The Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) separates the two Koreas and is one of the most heavily fortified areas in the world.
It is filled with landmines, surrounded by electric and barbed wire fencing and surveillance cameras. Armed guards are supposed to be on alert 24 hours a day.
The DMZ has separated the two countries since the Korean War in the 1950s. The war ended with an armistice, meaning that the two sides are still technically at war.
Dozens of people try to escape North Korea every year, fleeing poverty and famine, but defections across the DMZ are extremely dangerous and rare.                     Credit: bbc.com
