North Korea says it’s arrested American college student

Seul: North Korea said on Friday it had detained a United States university student for committing a “hostile act” against the country and was investigating.

North Korea said Warmbier “was arrested while perpetrating a hostile act against the DPRK after entering it under the guise of tourist for the goal of bringing down the foundation of its single-minded unity at the tacit connivance of the us government and under its manipulation”.

The one-sentence dispatch did not provide details on how and when the student was arrested.

KCNA identified the student as Warmbier Otto Frederick, a student at the University of Virginia. The man, identified as Kim Dong Chul, was held by Pyongyang government and authorities accused him of being involved in spying and stealing state secrets, according to CNN.

If confirmed, the student would be the third Western citizen held in North Korea.

The arrest came three months after Pyongang released a South Korean student and United States green card holder following six months of detention. It declined to discuss the issue further or confirm whether the US was consulting with Sweden, which handles USA consular issues in North Korea because Washington and Pyongyang do not have diplomatic relations.