North Korea has confirmed it arrested two female U.S. journalists for allegedly entering its territory.

The country's official Central New Agency said Saturday the two women were arrested last Tuesday near the China-North Korea border for "illegally intruding into the territory of the DPRK [North Korea]."

It said the case is under investigation by a government agency.

The reporters are believed to be Laura Ling and Euna Lee. Both work for the online media outlet Current TV, based out of San Francisco and founded by former U.S. vice-president Al Gore.

A Chinese interpreter used by the two reporters has also been detained.

A U.S. official said Saturday the American government has been in touch with North Korean representatives about the journalists and is awaiting a reply.

Reporting on North Korean refugees

Rev. Chun Ki-won of the Seoul-based Doorihana Mission said he had helped the pair arrange the trip and they were going to the region to report on North Korean refugees in northeastern China.

He said the women had contacted him during their trip and indicated they were near North Korea's far northeastern border, at the Tumen River, and were heading towards the Chinese border city of Dandong.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency said Sunday it's likely the reporters were sent to Pyongyang to be investigated for their alleged border intrusion.

North Korea just restored its military hotline this week with South Korea after it was severed earlier in March. The hotline is used to co-ordinate the movement of people and goods through the demilitarized zone.

Tensions have been especially high since a U.S.-South Korea military drill began March 9.

North Korea is planning a rocket launch to send up a communications satellite. But the U.S., South Korea and Japan have accused the military dictatorship there of preparing to test-fire a long-range missile.

North and South Korea are still technically in a state of war ever since their 1950-53 conflict, which ended in a ceasefire.