The U.S. State Department is reserving comments on the Korean-American U.S. national who is detained in North Korea.

The department only says it is contacting the detainee Jun Young-su through the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang, which serves as a U.S. protecting power since the U.S. and North Korea do not have diplomatic relations.

Department spokesman Mark Toner told a briefing Thursday that the North informed the U.S. of the latest situation and allowed consular access to the detainee through the Swedish embassy. He said Washington is asking Pyongyang for regular contacts with Jun.

On whether former U.S. President Jimmy Carter will bring him back to the U.S. following his scheduled visit to the North this month, Toner said Carter's trip is a personal visit and that question should be addressed to The Carter Center.