N Korea detains US citizen for trying to ‘overthrow country’

North Korea on Wednesday confirmed the detention of an American citizen for alleged acts of hostility aimed at overthrowing the country.

Kim Sang Dok, an accounting instructor at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, was “intercepted” at Pyongyang International Airport on April 22, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

It said he was being detained while authorities conduct a detailed investigation into his alleged crime.

The school’s chancellor Park Chan Mo and the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang earlier gave the information about Kim’s detention but couldn’t provide the reason for his arrest. The school’s report used a different spelling of Kim’s name, Kim Sang Duk.

He is now the third American being detained in North Korea. The other US detainees are Otto Warmbier, serving a 15-year prison term with hard labour for alleged anti-state acts, and Kim Dong Chul, serving a 10-year term with hard labour for alleged espionage.

Analysts say North Korea often attempts to use foreign detainees to wrest outside concessions, which in the past have sometimes involved high-profile American missions sent to secure the release of detainees. Animosity between Pyongyang and Washington has spiked in recent weeks amid a game of brinkmanship between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump.

The US State Department said last month that it was aware of the report about a US citizen being detained, but declined further comment “due to privacy considerations.” AP