By Kim Young-jin
Staff Reporter

North Korea has allowed a second meeting between Swedish diplomats and an American citizen who has been detained since January for alleged illegal entry into the communist state, the U.S. State Department said Tuesday.

"The Swedish Embassy has contacted the American citizen," spokesman Philip Crowley said. "I believe they've had additional contact over the last 24 hours. But beyond that, I have no update."

The State Department said Monday the North had granted the embassy an initial meeting with the detainee Sunday.

The Swedish Embassy represents U.S. interests in North Korea as the United States does not maintain a diplomatic presence there.

The State Department has yet to disclose the identity of the citizen.

Pyongyang said in late January the American was being held for "trespassing" into the country via its border with China and was undergoing questioning.

In early February, the North released another American, missionary Robert Park, who was detained after crossing into its territory in an effort to draw international attention to its human rights abuses.

In a separate case, two American journalists were released by the North in August after being held for entering the country while reporting for an independent U.S. cable television network. They were released soon after former U.S. President Bill Clinton arrived in Pyongyang for talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.

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