US citizen held by N Korea after crossing border: UN

SEOUL, July 18 (BBC): A US national has been detained in North Korea after crossing the border, a UN body says. The United Nations Command, which operates the Demilitarized Zone and joint security area (JSA) said the man did not have authorisation.

"We believe he is currently in DPRK custody and are working with our KPA counterparts to resolve this incident", it said. BBC News has contacted the US Department of State for comment. The man is believed to be the only US citizen currently in North Korean custody.

The KPA is the Korean People's Army - North Korea's military. The Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) separates the two Koreas and is one of the most heavily fortified areas in the world.

It is unclear why the US national crossed the border on Tuesday.