WASHINGTON - The US State Department confirmed on Tuesday that an American citizen has been detained by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

"There is an individual who is in North Korea. This individual has been detained," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters at the daily briefing, adding the incident occurred " recently."

"We have gone through the Swedish protecting powers there, and they've been able to visit him or her," he said.

Toner did not provide any detail of the individual's identity, even the gender of the individual, because the State Department does not have a Privacy Act waiver from this individual and the family.

According to US law, a US consular office cannot release any information regarding a US citizen without his or her written consent.

Toner said the United States does not have any information that this individual may have violated DPRK law or what the individual is being held for.

Toner called on the DPRK government to release this individual "on humanitarian grounds," and respect this individual "in a manner consistent with international human rights law."

The United States does not have diplomatic or consular relations with the DPRK. A number of American citizens were detained by the DPRK for illegal entry in the past.

Mahli Gomes, a 30-year-old from Boston who once taught English in the Republic of Korea, was detained by the DPRK on January 25 for illegal entry into the country.

In August, former US president Jimmy Carter flew to the DPRK on a private trip, bringing Gomes back to the United States.

In a similar visit to the DPRK in August 2009, former US president Bill Clinton secured the release of two female US journalists detained there for illegal entry.