North admits holding an American

PYONGYANG - North Korea said yesterday that it has detained an American citizen who has confessed to unspecified crimes.

State media said in a short dispatch that Bae Jun-ho entered North Korea on Nov. 3 as a tourist but was detained. The North said the crimes were “proven through evidence” but didn’t elaborate.

The North Korean dispatch said officials from the Swedish Embassy met Bae yesterday, but there were no other details about the meeting. Sweden represents the U.S. in diplomatic affairs in North Korea since Washington and Pyongyang do not have diplomatic relations.

The detained American is undergoing “legal treatment,” the North’s official Korean Central News Agency said.

It was earlier reported that Kenneth Bae, a 44-year-old Korean-American tour operator, was detained in North Korea Nov. 3 after leading five foreign tourists into the country.

Pyongyang has detained and eventually released several Americans in recent years. AP