Jailed prisoner Kenneth Bae calls for US action to secure release from North Korea

An American citizen held for more than a year in North Korea has called for U.S. co-operation to secure his release.

Kenneth Bae gave his first press conference since his detention under heavy prison guard.

According to the BBC, Bae, a Korean-American, was arrested in November 2012 and sentenced to 15 years' hard labour in May.

N. Korea said he had used his tourism business to form groups to overthrow the government.

Bae said there had been no infringement of his human rights, nor any severe or unfair treatment by Pyongyang, the report said.

According to the report, Bae's appearance came weeks after N. Korea freed Merrill Newman, 86-year-old American veteran of the Korean War, who had been held since October, on humanitarian grounds after he confessed to crimes in 1950-53 war and apologised.

N. Korea has arrested several US citizens in recent years, including journalists and Christians accused of proselytising.

They were released after visits to Pyongyang by high-profile officials, including former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, the report added.