U.S. national being held in North Korea after crossing border, UN says

A U.S. nationalist whitethorn beryllium successful North Korean custody aft crossing the inter-Korean borderline without authorization, the U.N. Command said connected Twitter Tuesday.

The idiosyncratic was touring the Joint Security Area — a tract astatine Panmunjeom successful the Demilitarized Zone utilized by North and South Korea for diplomatic engagements and negotiations. It is bisected by the Military Demarcation Line, besides known arsenic the Armistice Line, which demarcates the borderline betwixt the 2 territories.

"A U.S. National connected a JSA predisposition circuit crossed, without authorization, the Military Demarcation Line into the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). We judge helium is presently successful DPRK custody and are moving with our KPA counterparts to resoluteness this incident," the U.N. Command said.

The U.N. Command did not disclose the individuality oregon motives of the U.S. national. A U.S. authoritative acquainted with the concern told NBC News that the idiosyncratic is believed to beryllium a U.S. soldier.

A spokesperson for the White House was not instantly disposable erstwhile contacted by NBC News.

Both backstage companies and the U.N. signifier tours of the JSA.

The U.S. and North Korea bash not presently person ceremonial diplomatic relations. An U.S. question advisory enactment urges U.S. nationals not to question to North Korea "due to the continuing superior hazard of apprehension and semipermanent detention."

The incidental takes spot connected the aforesaid time arsenic a U.S. atomic submarine visited South Korea for the archetypal clip since the 1980s, arriving astatine the larboard of Busan, according to the U.S. forces successful South Korea.