Don’t take your Bible – a new form of tourism piracy in North Korea?

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Written by Linda Hohnholz

Tourism to the communist nation of North Korea can be dangerous, specifically for visitors from the United States of America.

Tourism to the communist nation of North Korea can be dangerous, specifically for visitors from the United States of America. North Korea announced Friday that it has detained a US citizen who it says entered the country as a tourist in April and broke the law.

So far three tourists in North Korea, all from the United States, are in custody. Is North Korea trying to negotiate with the US to release tourists in exchange for other advantages? Is this a new form of modern day piracy?

The North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency reported that authorities are investigating a man who it said violated the law by acting “contrary to the purpose of tourism.”

In a brief English-language article, KCNA gave the American’s name as Jeffrey Edward Fowle, saying he arrived as a tourist on April 29. It didn’t give any other details.

Citing unidentified diplomatic sources, the Japanese news agency Kyodo reported that Fowle was part of a tour group and that he was detained in mid-May after allegedly leaving a Bible in a hotel where he had been staying.

The US State Department said it was aware of reports that a third US citizen was detained in North Korea.

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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