US warns against N Korea travel after new arrest

The US has strongly warned its citizens against travelling to North Korea following the arrest of a fourth American citizen in the reclusive country, saying they face "serious risk" of arrest and long-term detention.

"This system imposes unduly harsh sentences for actions that would not be considered crimes in the United States and threatens US citizen detainees with being treated in accordance with wartime law of the DPRK (the Democratic People's Republic of Korea)," the State Department said.

"If you decide to enter North Korea against the advice of this Travel Warning, you should have no expectation of privacy. All electronic and multimedia devices including USB drives, CDs, DVDs, mobile phones, tablets, laptops, Internet browsing histories, and cookies are subject to search for banned content," it said. The warning came as US citizen Kim Hak-Song was detained in North Korea for "hostile acts." The official KCNA news agency said he had worked for the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST).At least 16 US citizens have been detained in North Korea in the past ten years. "The Department of State strongly warns US citizens not to travel to North Korea," the warning said. North Korean authorities have detained those who travelled independently and those who were part of organised tours.