A South Korean national identified as Baek has been arrested in Russia on suspicion of espionage, Russian state-run news agency TASS reported. South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment in detail but confirmed on Tuesday that it has provided consular assistance to Baek since learning of his detention and is currently communicating with Moscow through a bilateral diplomatic channel. 

According to TASS and South Korean media reports, Baek, reportedly a missionary who works to rescue North Korean refugees, was detained “earlier this year” in the Russian Far East city of Vladivostok and later transferred to Moscow’s Lefortovo detention center for further investigation.