Apparently it takes just one American student to destroy the unity in North Korea:

North Korea has detained a U.S. university student, the third western citizen known to be held in the isolated state, for committing a “hostile act” and wanting to “destroy the country’s unity”, it said on Friday.

and was detained at Pyongyang airport on Jan. 2 ahead of a flight back to China, said Gareth Johnson of Young Pioneer Tours, which organized the visit.

According to the North’s official KCNA news agency, Warmbier entered North Korea as a tourist and “was caught committing a hostile act against the state”, which it said was “tolerated and manipulated by the U.S. government”.

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An official at the U.S. embassy in the South Korean capital Seoul said it was aware of the reported arrest. The U.S. State Department in Washington had no immediate comment.

Johnson said China-based Young Pioneer Tours was in contact with Warmbier’s family and U.S. officials.

“We are in touch with Otto’s family, the U.S. State Department and the Embassy of Sweden in Pyongyang and doing all we can to secure his release,” Johnson told Reuters.

The Swedish Embassy represents U.S. interests in North Korea.

KCNA said Warmbier had entered the country with an “aim to destroy the country’s unity”. It did not elaborate.

Via: Reuters