The family of an Australian man studying at a university in North Korea said on Thursday that it had lost contact with him in recent days, and Australian officials said they were “urgently seeking clarification” about his whereabouts.
News reports in South Korea, citing anonymous sources, said that the student, Alek Sigley, 29, who was pursuing a master’s degree in Korean literature at Kim Il-sung University in Pyongyang, the North’s capital, had been detained by the authorities.
But North Korea has issued no statements about Mr. Sigley, and neither his family nor the Australian officials confirmed that he had been arrested.
Mr. Sigley’s family said in a statement on Thursday that it was working with Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to seek information about his whereabouts and welfare.