hankyoreh

By Lee Yong-in, staff reporter

North Korea announced on June 6 that it has detained yet another US tourist, bringing the number of Americans confirmed to be in detention in North Korea up to three.

The news was announced in a report by the state-run Korean Central News Agency.

“Jeffrey Edward Fowle, a US citizen who entered the People’s Democratic Republic of Chosun [Korea] as a tourist on April 29, violated the laws of the republic in a manner unsuited to the pursuits of tourism during his visit,” the report said.

“The relative agencies of the republic have detained him and are currently questioning him,” it continued.

The agency did not give further details about the tourist or the specific charges against him.

Previously, Japan’s Kyodo News, citing a number of diplomatic sources, reported that an American male who entered the country as part of tour group had been detained just prior to departure in mid-May. The agency also said the reason given for the detention was the man’s attempt to leave a Bible behind in his hotel room when departing.

Currently, two other Americans are known to be under detention in North Korea. One is Korean-American Kenneth Bae, who is serving a 15-year “labor education” sentence for conspiracy to subvert the nation after entering the country in November 2012 via Rason in North Hamgyong Province. The other, tourist Matthew Todd Miller, was detained by authorities for allegedly defacing his tourist visa after entering the country in April.

Analysts said North Korea’s choice to go the aggressive route of detaining US tourists for “illegal acts” was both a sign of the uncooperative state of relations with Washington and a strategy to bring the US to the negotiation table.

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]