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US man held after attempt to 'swim to N Korea' | US man held after attempt to 'swim to N Korea' |
(34 minutes later) | |
South Korean authorities say they have detained an American man they believe was trying to swim to North Korea. | South Korean authorities say they have detained an American man they believe was trying to swim to North Korea. |
Guards arrested the man, in his late 20s or early 30s, on Tuesday at a river border near the demilitarised zone. | Guards arrested the man, in his late 20s or early 30s, on Tuesday at a river border near the demilitarised zone. |
Border patrol troops found the American lying on the southern shore of the Han River, a government source told South Korea's Yonhap news agency. | Border patrol troops found the American lying on the southern shore of the Han River, a government source told South Korea's Yonhap news agency. |
Yonhap said he told investigators he wanted to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. | Yonhap said he told investigators he wanted to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. |
The arrest comes days after a court in North Korea sentenced an American citizen to six years of hard labour for "hostile acts". | The arrest comes days after a court in North Korea sentenced an American citizen to six years of hard labour for "hostile acts". |
Matthew Miller and two other Americans are currently being detained by the North. | Matthew Miller and two other Americans are currently being detained by the North. |
'Drunken dare' | |
Attempts to cross the river in the heavily-guarded demilitarised zone are very rare and dangerous. | |
In September, a South Korean man was shot dead by border guards while trying to swim to the North. | |
In 1996, 26-year-old US citizen Evan C Hunziker crossed the Yalu River into the North from China on an apparent drunken dare. | |
He was held for three months by North Korea on charges of espionage and eventually released after negotiations with the US. |
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