American student arrested in North Korea

by Jesse Byrnes - 01/22/16 9:12 AM ET

North Korea said Friday that it had arrested an American student for allegedly carrying out “hostile acts” in opposition to the government, with reports indicating the student was detained nearly three weeks ago.

Otto Frederick Warmbier, 21, was detained Jan. 2 at a Pyongyang airport on his way back to China after a five-day trip, Young Pioneer Tours, the group that organized the visit, told Reuters.

{mosads}The China-based travel group said in a statement posted to its website that it was working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State Department to address the detention of the student.

North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said in a one-sentence dispatch that the student entered the country for tourism but intended to undermine its unity, according to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency.

State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said that U.S. officials were aware of reports of the American being detained in North Korea and stressed the welfare of U.S. citizens is a high priority.

U.S. officials communicate with the Swedish Embassy, which represents America’s interests in North Korea, any time a U.S. citizen is reported detained in the isolated nation, the State Department said.

Americans have been detained before in the country, which saw international condemnation after recently testing a nuclear device in the face of increased sanctions.

Tags North Korea North Korea Pyongyang