Analysts say Jeffrey Edward Fowle, said to be detained for leaving a Bible in his hotel room, might be used as bargaining chip

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

North Korea has detained another US tourist for breaking its laws, its official news agency announced on Friday, bringing the number of American citizens in its custody to three.

The man, named by KCNA as Jeffrey Edward Fowle, was detained on 29 April. The terse news story said he was under investigation but did not explain why it had taken so long to reveal the news.

Japanese news agency Kyodo, citing diplomatic sources, said an American was detained in mid-May as he was about to leave the country, for leaving a Bible in his hotel room.

The news comes two months after Pyongyang said it was holding 24-year-old Matthew Todd Miller for "a gross violation of its legal order". According to KCNA, he tore up his tourist visa and demanded asylum on arrival.

In May, Kenneth Bae, a US citizen born in South Korea, was sentenced to 15 years hard labour for seeking to topple the government. He has been held since entering the country on a tourist visa in November 2012. His family says he has multiple health problems.

"It's hard to explain why they've suddenly been picking up so many people," said Jim Hoare, an expert on North Korea and former chargé d'affaires of the British embassy in Pyongyang. "They may be more vigilant, having had this run of people."

It might also reflect a generally higher number of foreign visitors in recent years, he said.

Analysts say Pyongyang sees US and South Korean citizens as potential bargaining chips in negotiations with those countries. It has previously released US citizens in exchange for high-profile visits, for instance when former US president Bill Clinton flew to Pyongyang to meet then leader Kim Jong-il to ensure the release of Euna Lee and Laura Ling in 2009.

A US state department official told AP that Washington was aware of reports that a third citizen had been detained in North Korea. "There is no greater priority for us than the welfare and safety of US citizens abroad," the official said, adding that no further information was available.

The state department last month warned Americans not to visit North Korea, even with valid visas, because of the risk of arbitrary arrest and detention.

"Foreign visitors to North Korea may be arrested, detained or expelled for activities that would not be considered criminal outside North Korea," it added.

The US does not have diplomatic relations with North Korea, meaning that cases involving its citizens are handled by the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang.

Last year, 85-year-old Korean war veteran Merrill Newman was held for a month and allowed to leave only after being filmed "confessing" to alleged crimes, which he later said was done under duress.

Newman had been accused of war crimes after broaching the subject of the Korean war with his guide. He read out the statement apologising for his actions in the war after he was threatened with 15 years in jail, he said.

Earlier this year an Australian missionary, John Short, 75, was detained for 13 days for distributing Bible tracts in Pyongyang. He was deported after signing a detailed confession and apology.

But a South Korean missionary was last month sentenced to hard labour for life after being convicted on charges of spying and trying to set up underground churches.

"The fact he was South Korean was probably a factor [in the tougher sentence]. I think they would make an example of a South Korean," said Hoare.