US Student ‘Kidnapped’ More than a Decade Ago Said to Be Teaching in North Korea

An American Brigham Young University student who had allegedly been killed in China during a hiking trip was actually kidnapped by North Korea and is now teaching English in Pyongyang, according to a Japanese newspaper.

David Sneddon, raised in Nebraska, vanished 12 years ago. His family never believed the story of his accidental death and, it turns out, their suspicions may have been correct, as it is now being reported that he was abducted and began tutoring government officials in his native language. Kim Jong-un himself is reportedly one of his former students.

It is believed that Sneddon, who was 24 at the time of his disappearance, is now married and the father of two children.

The skepticism of Sneddon’s family came from the fact that his body was never recovered and that he was fluent in Korean, making him useful for the nation.

"We just knew in our heart that he was alive, so we had to keep fighting," his mother, Kathleen Sneddon, told KSL.

Earlier this year, lawmakers urged the government to investigate whether he had been abducted.

"The Sneddon family, along with various experts in North Korean policy, believe that the North Korean government may have abducted David, using his language skills to train government officials and operatives," Allison Leavitt, spokeswoman for  Representative Chris Stewart said in a statement in February

“The evidence indicates that there are still a lot of unanswered questions about David’s disappearance," the statement continued. "David’s family deserves answers to those questions," Stewart continued, "and until we find those answers, I will continue urging the State Department to pursue all possible explanations for David’s disappearance.”

It is believed that there are many other Americans who were kidnapped by the nation and remain there today.

The US State Department has now launched a formal search for Sneddon.