Detained man 's wife : `` The family feels there has been dreadful misunderstanding '' `` The postcards sent to friends ... describe good times , good weather , '' she said . State has declined to identify the North Korean , citing privacy issues . Washington does not have diplomatic relations with Pyongyang , and it has been working through Sweden -- the U.S. protecting power in North Korea -- to obtain information about the American . ` But family of Merrill Newman , October , says he 's been held by Oregon since 85 .
Detained man 's wife : `` The family feels there has been dreadful misunderstanding '' `` The postcards sent to friends ... describe good times , good weather , '' she said . State has declined to identify the North Korean , citing privacy issues . But family of Merrill Newman , October , says he 's been held by Oregon since 85 .