Detained American citizen Merrill Newman travelled to North Korea on a ‘private tour’ with British tour company Juche Travel Services, company founder David Thompson confirmed to NK News on Friday.

The agency, which only learned that it was involved in Newman’s case on Thursday, said that it currently had no information as to why the 85 year old Korean War veteran had been removed from a flight leaving Pyongyang on October 26.

“Mr. Newman had in place all necessary and valid travel documents to take his tour. We have no information concerning what has occurred to result in the current