North Korea deports detained American

North Korea said Saturday that it had deported a US Korean War veteran accused of hostile acts against the country under the guise of a tourist.

Since Merrill Edward Newman had admitted to his wrongdoing and apologised, North Korea deported him from the country from "a humanitarian viewpoint", the official KCNA news agency reported.

Newman, 85, from Palo Alto, California, had apologised for alleged crimes during the 1950-53 Korean War and "hostile acts" against North Korea during a recent trip, reported Xinhua.

"He masterminded espionage and subversive activities against North Korea and in this course he was involved in killings of service personnel of the Korean People's Army and innocent civilians," the KCNA report said.

Newman had been held in Pyongyang since officials took him off a plane that was scheduled to leave the country Oct 26.