Seoul , South Korea ( CNN ) -- North Korea says it plans to prosecute two American tourists that it detained earlier this year , accusing them of `` perpetrating hostile acts . '' The North Korean government had previously said it was holding the two U.S. citizens , Jeffrey Fowle and Matthew Miller , but had n't said what it planned to do with them . `` According to the results of the investigation , suspicions about their hostile acts have been confirmed by evidence and their testimonies , '' the North 's Korean Central News Agency ( KCNA ) reported Monday . `` The relevant organ of the DPRK is carrying on the investigation into them and making preparations for bringing them before court on the basis of the already confirmed charges , '' the report said , using using an abbreviation of the country 's official name , the Democratic People 's Republic of Korea . The U.S. State Department called on North Korea to release the two men on humanitarian grounds . Asylum bid ? North Korea said in late April that it had taken Miller into custody , claiming he had come to the country seeking asylum and had torn up his tourist visa . It announced the detention of Fowle in early June , saying he had violated the law by acting `` contrary to the purpose of tourism . '' It did n't provide details at the time on what exactly he was accused of doing . But the Japanese news agency Kyodo cited unidentified diplomatic sources as saying that Fowle was part of a tour group and that he was detained in mid-May after allegedly leaving a Bible in a hotel where he had been staying . Although North Korea regularly denounces the United States as a sworn enemy in its state-run media , Americans are able to visit the country as tourists . But the U.S. State Department says it `` strongly recommends against all travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea . '' Swedish Embassy involved . `` Contact with an official looking after consular affairs , treatment , etc . in the course of investigation are being made in line with the laws of the relevant country , '' KCNA said Monday . In practice , that means that North Korean authorities have been in touch with the Swedish Embassy , which represents American interests in the country . `` Out of humanitarian concern for Mr. Fowle and Mr. Miller and their families , we request North Korea release them so they may return home , '' said U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki . She said the Swedish Embassy had carried out visits to both men in North Korean custody . Kenneth Bae case . North Korea is also holding Kenneth Bae , a Korean-American missionary who was sentenced to 15 years hard labor in 2013 by a court that said he had carried out acts aimed at bringing down the regime of leader Kim Jong Un . Psaki on Monday repeated a request for Bae to be pardoned and released . Although North Korea contains a number of state-controlled churches , the totalitarian regime forbids independent religious activities , viewing them as potential threats to its authority . Other Americans detained in the North have later been released . Last year , Pyongyang freed Merrill Newman , an 85-year-old veteran of the Korean War who was on an organized private tour in the country , after holding him for several weeks . CNN 's K.J . Kwon reported from Seoul , and Jethro Mullen reported and wrote from Hong Kong . CNN 's Mary Lucas Grace and Brian Todd contributed to this report .
NEW : The Seoul calls for both men to be released on humanitarian grounds . KCNA and Jeffrey Fowle are set to be taken to court . `` Suspicions about their hostile acts have been confirmed , '' KCNA reports . Miller 's detention was announced in June , Fowle 's in April .