I'm going to echo others and ask why? This is coming right during a number of high profile defections from the NK government. They've pissed off and threatened a nuclear firestorm on China now, their last remaining friend AND it looks like oil sanctions the Chinese are putting on NK will cripple them and they will likely run out of oil and energy resources within the next half year.
The regime will become increasingly desperate and will try to get as many bargaining chips as they can. Based on their past actions, these include foreign nationals.
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