Two American journalists detained by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will receive well treatment, State Department deputy spokesman Robert Wood said Tuesday.

"The North has assured us that the detainees will be well treated," Wood told a news briefing without giving any details.

"I really don't want to go into much more detail, because we're trying to work this issue diplomatically. And the less said from here, the better."

However, the spokesman added that "We have formally requested, through our protecting power in Pyongyang, the Swedish embassy, that the Swedish government be provided with consular access to these two Americans."

The DPRK said on Saturday it detained two Americans on March 17 as they were "illegally intruding into the territory of the DPRK by crossing the DPRK-China border."

It was reported that they have been charged with espionage. Wood declined to make comment on the report.

(Xinhua News Agency March 25, 2009)