North Korea is to release a US man arrested and held since December for illegally entering the country, state news agency KCNA has said.

朝鲜国家媒体朝中社称，朝鲜政府将释放去年12月因非法入境而被逮捕、拘留至今的一位美国男子。

Religious activist¹ Robert Park crossed into the country from China by walking across a frozen river late last year.

KCNA reports that the North Korean authorities have decided² to "forgive and release" Mr Park, who was reported to have admitted his mistake.

He had reportedly wanted to highlight强调，突出 human rights issues in North Korea.

"The relevant organ of the DPRK (North Korea) decided to leniently温和地，宽大地 forgive and release him, taking his admission and sincere repentance⁴悔改，后悔 of his wrong doings into consideration," KCNA said.

Mr Park, a US citizen of Korean ancestry⁵祖先，血统 from Tucson, Arizona, entered North Korea on foot, walking across the frozen Tumen River on 24 or 25 December last year.

According to his associates, Mr Park claimed he had seen a vision from God of North Korea's liberation and redemption拯救，偿还.

They said he had walked across the border shouting: "I am an American citizen. I brought God's love. God loves you and God bless you."

South Korean activists⁶ supporting Mr Park said he carried a letter urging the North's leader, Kim Jong-Il, to free political prisoners and improve human rights in the communist state.

In 2009, North Korea detained two US journalists on the border with China.

Laura Ling and Euna Lee were sentenced to 12 years' hard labour but were freed as part of a diplomatic mission spearheaded带头，先锋 by former US President Bill Clinton in August after four months in captivity⁷.