Former UN Official Detained In Switzerland On Espionage Charges

JAKARTA - A former UN official from Canada who now works as an expert on North Korea is being held in Switzerland on spying charges.

The former UN official is known to have traveled to China for his work as an environmental consultant before being arrested in early spring on espionage charges, NK News said, online media that have staff in the US, Europe and South Korea.

His party did not publish the official's full name because he had not been convicted and the authorities had not yet filed a public charge against him.

The Swiss Attorney General's Office has yet to provide a response regarding this news.

The man is in his 50s and domiciled in Geneva. He is currently in pretrial custody for several months pending the conclusion of an investigation by the Swiss attorney general's office, the NK News report said.