Korea of the North detained American month

An American citizen is detained in Korea of the North for several months, the State Department said today.

"I have no details on what this person in Northern Korea." But we would call on the Government of the North Korea to release the citizen for humanitarian reasons. And we ask that they respect and deal with the citizen in a manner consistent with international law on the rights of man, "State Department spokesman Mark Toner said to journalists.

Toner would not confirm all the details on the identity of the individual, well-being, or why he was detained, citing privacy restrictions. However, he confirmed that Swedish diplomats, who represent us interests in Pyongyang were able to visit the person "recently".

A senior State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the individual was arrested in November, but would not say when the case came to the attention of the U.S. Government.

Korea of the North has taken a number of Americans in detention for allegedly illegally entering North Korea in recent years. More recently a man named Aijalon Mahli Gomes Boston area was arrested in January 2010 and sentenced to eight years of forced labour, but it was recovered by former President Jimmy Carter during a visit to Pyongyang in August...

A year earlier former President Bill Clinton has recovered two American journalists, Euna Lee and Laura Ling, who were detained along the frozen river which marks the border with the China.

Carter is set to perform a previously planned visit to North Korera here later this month, but a U.S. official said only there was "no waiting" that Carter might be bringing this American remains with him.