A senior U.S. State Department official says a North Korean trial for two American journalists was held Thursday without the presence of observers.

The official said Friday that the North told the U.S. that no observers, including Swedish officials who act as the U.S. protecting power in Pyongyang, would be allowed to sit in on the trial.

The official added that the Swedish ambassador to the North confirmed to the State Department that the trial for Laura Ling and Euna Lee was held Thursday as scheduled. However, the official added that Washington has yet to confirm the ruling made at the trial or when the North might disclose the details of the proceedings.

Ling and Lee, reporters for former Vice President Al Gore's San Francisco-based Current TV, were arrested on March 17th near the North Korean border while shooting a documentary. Pyongyang officials said the two would be tried for undisclosed “hostile acts.”

On the possibility of Gore visiting the North to negotiate the release of the two journalists, the official said he could not confirm the matter.