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North Korea Detains Another American North Korea Detains Another American
(35 minutes later)
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said on Friday that it was investigating an American citizen who visited the country as a tourist on charges of violating its laws. SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said on Friday that it has detained an American citizen who visited the country as a tourist, and that it was investigating him on charges of violating its laws.
The man entered North Korea on April 29 and “perpetrated activities that violated the laws of our republic, which did not fit his stated purpose of visiting our republic as a tourist,” the North’s official Korean Central News Agency said. “Our related agency has detained him and is investigating him.” The man, Jeffrey Edward Fowle, entered North Korea on April 29 and “perpetrated activities that violated the laws of our republic, which did not fit his stated purpose of visiting our republic as a tourist,” the North’s official Korean Central News Agency said. “Our related agency has detained him and is investigating him.”
The news agency gave no further details. The news agency gave no further details about Mr. Fowle, like where in the United States he came from.
The United States had already advised that no Americans should travel to the North, following the arrest last year of an 85-year-old American tourist, Merrill E. Newman of Palo Alto, Calif. Mr. Newman was released after more than a month of captivity. The North had accused him of war crimes after learning that Mr. Newman, a Korean War veteran, had helped train anti-Communist guerrillas during the war. But it cited Mr. Newman’s age, 85 at the time, as a reason for releasing him. The U.S. had already advised that no Americans should travel to the North, following the arrest last year of an 85-year-old American tourist, Merrill E. Newman of Palo Alto, Calif. Mr. Newman was released after more than a month of captivity. The North had accused him of war crimes after learning that Mr. Newman, a Korean War veteran, had helped train anti-Communist guerrillas during the war. But it cited Mr. Newman’s age, 85 at the time, as a reason for releasing him.
But North Korea is still holding at least two other American citizens.But North Korea is still holding at least two other American citizens.
Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American missionary, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor after he was caught in the North in late 2012. Mr. Bae was accused of trying to establish a secret proselytizing network inside the North, using his tourism business as a front. North Korea has said that it was also holding Matthew Todd Miller, also an American, who it said tore up his visa and demanded asylum after arriving in Pyongyang on April 10.Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American missionary, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor after he was caught in the North in late 2012. Mr. Bae was accused of trying to establish a secret proselytizing network inside the North, using his tourism business as a front. North Korea has said that it was also holding Matthew Todd Miller, also an American, who it said tore up his visa and demanded asylum after arriving in Pyongyang on April 10.
Washington has no diplomatic ties with North Korea and the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the interests of American citizens held in the North. North Korea has twice cancelled its invitation for Robert King, Washington’s special envoy for North Korean human rights issues, to discuss Mr. Bae’s case.Washington has no diplomatic ties with North Korea and the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the interests of American citizens held in the North. North Korea has twice cancelled its invitation for Robert King, Washington’s special envoy for North Korean human rights issues, to discuss Mr. Bae’s case.
“We are aware of reports that a third U.S. citizen was detained in North Korea,” said a State Department official in Washington who declined to share further details. “There is no greater priority for us than the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad.”“We are aware of reports that a third U.S. citizen was detained in North Korea,” said a State Department official in Washington who declined to share further details. “There is no greater priority for us than the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad.”
The official said that the Department of State strongly recommends against all travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea “due to the risk of arbitrary detention or arrest.”The official said that the Department of State strongly recommends against all travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea “due to the risk of arbitrary detention or arrest.”
North Korea has often been suspected of using people held in the country as political bargaining chips to force Washington and others to negotiate with it. It had previously released United States citizens it had held when prominent Americans, such as the former President Bill Clinton, visited the country.North Korea has often been suspected of using people held in the country as political bargaining chips to force Washington and others to negotiate with it. It had previously released United States citizens it had held when prominent Americans, such as the former President Bill Clinton, visited the country.
But the North has also been using cases like Mr. Bae’s to warn against other religious activists who have been active along the Chinese-North Korean border for years, distributing food for North Korean refugees. They sometimes help smuggle refugees for resettlement in South Korea and train them as missionaries, sometimes dispatching them back into their home country to spread the Gospel and open underground churches. North Korea treats such activities as “anti-state” crimes.But the North has also been using cases like Mr. Bae’s to warn against other religious activists who have been active along the Chinese-North Korean border for years, distributing food for North Korean refugees. They sometimes help smuggle refugees for resettlement in South Korea and train them as missionaries, sometimes dispatching them back into their home country to spread the Gospel and open underground churches. North Korea treats such activities as “anti-state” crimes.
Last Friday, it sentenced a South Korean Baptist missionary to a labor camp for life for allegedly trying to build underground churches in the country, where the government has condemned such religious activities as an attempt to sabotage its rule. The missionary, Kim Jong-uk, was also convicted of spying and other various “anti-state” crimes, the Korean Central News Agency said.Last Friday, it sentenced a South Korean Baptist missionary to a labor camp for life for allegedly trying to build underground churches in the country, where the government has condemned such religious activities as an attempt to sabotage its rule. The missionary, Kim Jong-uk, was also convicted of spying and other various “anti-state” crimes, the Korean Central News Agency said.
The harsh treatment of American tourists and South Korean missionaries followed a conciliatory agreement North Korea had struck with Japan last month, whenThe harsh treatment of American tourists and South Korean missionaries followed a conciliatory agreement North Korea had struck with Japan last month, when
North Korea agreed to reopen an investigation into the fate of Japanese citizens it abducted in the 1970s and 1980s.North Korea agreed to reopen an investigation into the fate of Japanese citizens it abducted in the 1970s and 1980s.
In return, Japan promised to lift some sanctions and consider humanitarian aid shipment once such an inquiry gets underway.In return, Japan promised to lift some sanctions and consider humanitarian aid shipment once such an inquiry gets underway.