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Student Held In North Korea 'Treated Well'

An American univeristy student being held in North Korea has said he has been "treated in the most humanitarian way" since entering the country illegally.

Won Moon Joo, a South Korean who holds permanent residency in the United States, was arrested in April when he crossed the Amnok River, also called the Yalu River, from the Chinese border town of Dandong.

On Tuesday, the business studies student at New York University was allowed to speak to reporters in Pyongyang but gave no explanation for entering the country.

"I would like to tell my family I'm healthy, I hope to be home soon and to tell them not to worry too much," he said.

"I've eaten three meals a day, exercised daily, given books to read to pass the time. I've been quite healthy and I've been taken care of very well with good people."

Mr Joo also publicly admitted that he has broken North Korean laws.

"I fully acknowledge that I broke the law by illegally entering the DPRK and I sincerely apologise, but I hope to be treated generously by the DPRK government," he said.

It is unknown whether he will stand trial in North Korea or simply be sent back to the United States.

A New York University spokesman confirmed Mr Joo's enrolment at the university's Stern School of Business and that he was not due to take any classes this term, but stated that they were unaware that he had been travelling.

The university has been in touch with the US State Department and the South Korean Embassy.

Mr Joo's appearance came as South Korea announced it had returned home two North Korean fisherman, who were rescued from South Korean waters earlier this month.

Seoul has dismissed Pyongyang's call for three other fishermen, who had asked to stay in the South, to be sent back.