A national of the United States has likely been detained in North Korea after crossing the border without authorisation during a tour, according to the United Nations Command.

The person was taking part in a tour to the Joint Security Area (JSA), the border village in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) separating South Korea and North Korea where soldiers from both sides stand guard.

“A U.S. National on a JSA orientation tour crossed, without authorization, the Military Demarcation Line into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK),” the UN Command, which has helped oversee the DMZ since an armistice ended fighting in the 1950-1953 Korean War, said on Tuesday.

“We believe he is currently in DPRK custody and are working with our KPA counterparts to resolve this incident,” the UN Command added, referring to North Korea’s People’s Army.

It gave no further details on who the person is or why he crossed the border.

Cases of US citizens or South Koreans defecting to North Korea are rare, though more than 30,000 North Koreans have fled to South Korea to avoid political oppression and economic difficulties since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.

N Korea