Australia probes reports of citizen detained in North Korea

The Australian government said Thursday it was "urgently seeking clarification" on reports that an Australian had been detained in North Korea, which the attorney-general described as a "matter of the utmost seriousness."
"Alek's family hope to re-establish contact with him soon," it added. Attorney-General Christian Porter, who is based in Sigley's hometown of Perth, told Perth Radio 6PR: "This particular jurisdiction, most Australians' common sense would tell them, makes this a matter of the utmost seriousness."
Australia does not have an embassy in North Korea. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, who is also based in Perth, said Australia's embassy in South Korea "has reached out to relevant officials in North Korea."

"There is obviously some complications in providing consular assistance into North Korea," Cormann told reporters in Japan. "We work through the Swedish government in North Korea and all of these steps are underway."
In March this year, Sigley wrote for Guardian Australia about living in North Korea, saying that as a long-term foreign resident on a student visa he had "nearly unprecedented access to Pyongyang."
"On behalf of the ANU community, I extend my concern and thoughts for his wellbeing, as well as to his family, his friends and colleagues," Vice-Chancellor Keith Nugent said in a statement. "We hope for a speedy and positive resolution to his reported situation."

In 2014, North Korea said it deported Short after he apologized for anti-state religious acts and requested forgiveness. He said later that recounting Biblical scriptures helped him endure the "long and grueling investigation."