CNN reports American detained by North Korean government

Associated Press

Monday, Jan. 11, 2016 | 2:13 p.m.

WASHINGTON — The government of North Korea has detained a U.S. citizen on suspicion of spying, CNN reported Monday.

It said a man identified as Kim Dong Chul was being held by the Pyongyang government and said authorities had accused him of engaging in spying and stealing state secrets.

In an interview with a CNN correspondent, Kim said he had traveled extensively in recent years between China and North Korea and had made some trips to South Korea as well.

In Washington, State Department spokesman John Kirby said he could not confirm the report. He declined to discuss the issue further or confirm whether the U.S. was consulting with Sweden, which handles U.S. consular issues in North Korea because Washington and Pyongyang do not have diplomatic relations.

"We are looking into the matter, and when we have more that we can say — if we have more that we can say — we will," Kirby told reporters.

CNN displayed Kim's US passport and said he had lived in China for many years, but also had resided in Fairfax, Virginia.