According to the Korean Central News Agency, yet another American has been detained in North Korea. In the past month, the tensions between North Korea and the United States have risen dramatically. The nation has reacted to America’s military force by saying they’re prepared for war, and if any more military action occurs, they are prepared for a preemptive strike. Since Donald Trump took office, the regime has come forward saying he is “more vicious and more aggressive” than his predecessor, Barack Obama. The country has also proven to be extremely open about building both the quantity and quality of their nuclear weapons.

The man detained is Kim Hak-Song, the fourth American held captive is the recent weeks. The reason behind the capture is suspicion of “hostile acts.” Kim was doing agricultural development for Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. The KCNA has reported that the American was detained on Saturday but has not released any more information to the public.

Kim Hak-Song became an American citizen in the early 2000s. An ethnic Korean, Kim was born in Jilin, China. According to classmate David Kim, “He was a very diligent, hardworking man determined to help people in North Korea.” David Kim also added that he moved back to China for about ten years after residing in the United States. Prior to majoring in agriculture in the US, he attended a University in Yanbian, China. Kim had reportedly been immersed in an effort back at home to improve living conditions in North Korea. Along with some of his colleagues, he sought to improve life in the dangerous country by sending food and other necessities. One of his colleagues added the following on the topic: “North Korea is persecuting their savior, a person who came to help them. This is wrong.”

As the amount of detained Americans increases, in noticeably similar timing with the continuous heightening of tensions between the US and North Korea, the next moves by both leaders await to be watched carefully.