international incidents

NYU Student Reportedly Arrested in North Korea

A North Korean Taepodong-class missile is displayed during a military parade past Kim Il-Sung square marking the 60th anniversary of the Korean war armistice in Pyongyang on July 27, 2013. North Korea mounted its largest ever military parade on July 27 to mark the 60th anniversary of the armistice that ended fighting in the Korean War, displaying its long-range missiles at a ceremony presided over by leader Kim Jong-Un. AFP PHOTO / Ed Jones (Photo credit should read Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images)
Photo: ED JONES/AFP/Getty Images

On Saturday, North Korea’s state-run news agency announced that a South Korean NYU student has been detained in the country. Twenty-one-year-old Joo Won-moon, who, the New York Times reports, has a United States green card, was reportedly arrested on April 22. NYU spokesperson John Beckman told the Times that Joo is a junior at the Stern School of Business. However, Beckman said that “he is not taking classes this semester, and the university was unaware of his travels.”

Joo has been charged with illegally entering North Korea from Dandong, China. (Reuters explains, “Dandong is home to many ethnic Korean Chinese traders who deal with both North and South Korean businessmen. It is also home to South Korean and western Christian missionaries trying to operate in North Korea.”) According to North Korea, Joo has admitted to breaking the law, and his case is currently under investigation.