North Korea Confirms Its Holding Two US Journalists

This was reported on this week and has now been confirmed. Its possible they just wanted more bargaining chips to use the USA, or they could just be a paranoid hermit kingdom whose guards swooped up the reporters as part of their job.

"Two Americans were detained on March 17 while illegally intruding into the territory of the DPRK by crossing the DPRK-China border. A competent organ is now investigating the case," the North's official news agency KCNA said without giving more details.South Korean media and diplomatic sources said this week North Korean security officials detained the two as they filmed across the Tumen River from the Chinese side of the border.A media source has said the two women were working for Current TV, a U.S.-based online news company.A diplomatic source said earlier the reporters were on the frozen Tumen when taken by North Korean security guards. The Tumen runs along the eastern section of the border with China.

If the North Korean's went into Chinese territory, isn't that a violation? Anyway a North Korean representative is actually in china:

BEIJING, China (CNN) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao reiterated a call for North Korea to resume nuclear talks during his meeting with North Korean Premier Kim Yong Il.On Thursday Hu urged Kim, who is not related to North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, to find a way to continue the six-party nuclear talks, according to a statement released by the Chinese government.The talks, which are aimed at persuading North Korea to scrap its nuclear program, involve North Korea, China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and United States.Kim arrived in China on Tuesday for the five-day visit, which coincides with the 60th anniversary celebration of diplomatic ties between the two countries, state media said. The visit is the first for Kim, who was elected in 2007..............

The meeting coincides with the detention of two U.S. journalists, apparently by North Korean border guards, in the area of the Tumen River marking the border between North Korea and China. Watch what's known about the detention »

Media reports have identified the women as Laura Ling and Euna Lee, from the online news outlet called Current TV, co-founded by former Vice President Al Gore. The State Department is not confirming the women's names and is not saying where the women are being held.