NORTH KOREA-An Australian missionary arrested in North Korea for distributing Christian pamphlets could face a long jail sentence.

John Short, 75, travelled to North Korea from his home in Hong Kong with fellow missionary Wang Chong.

The travel agency that booked the trip said Short, who had Korean-language Christian pamphlets with him, admitted to North Korean officials that tourism was not the sole reason for his journey.

Chong with whom he made the trip was allowed to leave but Short was being held in Pyongyang by the authority and to be charged to court very soon.

It was learnt that missionary work was illegal in North Korea.

It could be recalled that because of the illegality, one Kenneth Bae, a Korean-born American evangelist, was sentenced to 15 years hard labour in April after being found guilty of trying to overthrow the Pyongyang regime.