The United States says it is holding talks with North Korea on the release of a detained American citizen.

State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters Monday that Washington is engaged in discussions with the North to try to encourage the communist state to release Aijalon Mahli Gomes on humanitarian grounds.

However, Crowley did not confirm whether Washington will send an envoy to win the American’s release, as has been reported by some media outlets.

Meanwhile, a senior State Department official said the U.S. is not holding any other discussions with the North other than on the issue of the detained American.

The 30-year-old teacher from Boston was sentenced by North Korea to eight years in prison in April, about three months after he was arrested for crossing into the North via China. In July, the North's official media organ reported that Gomes tried to commit suicide.