Imprisoned

U.S. Citizen Being Held in North Korea

State Dept. has few details.

Start packing for your rescue mission, Bill Clinton: An American citizen is being held in North Korea, the U.S. State Department said Tuesday. Spokesman Mark Toner said Swedish officials have “been able to visit” the detained American (Sweden, which has diplomatic ties with North Korea, is acting on America’s behalf), but Toner said, “I don’t have any details of what this person was doing in North Korea.” He declined to identify the detainee, but pleaded with North Korea for a release as well as to comply with international human rights law. In the past few years, former President Carter was able to negotiate the release American citizen Aijalon Gomes and former President Clinton negotiated the release of two American journalists in 2009. No word yet on whether a similar trip is planned this time.