Seoul warns on worker's detention by North

SEOUL, April 13 (UPI) -- Seoul says it is considering taking action against North Korea for its continued detention of a South Korean worker.

North Korean officials have held an employee of Hyundai Asan Corp. since March 30 in the border town of Kaesong, home of a joint North-South industrial park developed by the company. South Korean officials said Monday the worker's detention is "serious" and will consider taking action if he isn't released, the South Korean news agency Yonhap reported.

"Our government considers North Korea's prolonged inquiry into our worker a serious situation," Unification Ministry spokeswoman Lee Jong-joo told reporters, calling the detention "very unjust" and "inhumane" and warning that Seoul "will consider taking various measures" if he isn't released.

Pyongyang contends the worker denounced the North's government and attempted to persuade a female North Korean employee at the plant to defect, Yonhap said.