But Wood backtracked from earlier remarks that he was "aware" that the pair faced espionage charges, saying only that North Korea has informed the United States that it believes the two entered the country illegally.

"The North has assured us that the detainees will be well treated," Wood told reporters at the daily news media briefing.

He declined to say whether US officials received the assurance directly from the North Koreans, which have a mission at the United Nations in New York, or through Sweden, which represents US interests in Pyongyang.

He said US officials are pressing for the Swedes to visit the two who have been identified as Euna Lee, a Korean-American, and Laura Ling, a Chinese-American, who work for Current TV in California.

"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," Wood added without saying when the request was made.

In Seoul, a South Korean daily said Tuesday that North Korean intelligence officials are questioning the journalists and will likely try to persuade them to confess to spying, a South Korean daily said Tuesday.

JoongAng Ilbo, quoting a South Korean intelligence source, said the pair were transported to a top-security guest-house on the outskirts of Pyongyang a day after they were seized before dawn on March 17 along the border with China.

State Department officials said they do not know where the pair are being detained.

South Korea's National Intelligence Service declined to comment, and an analyst said he doubted whether the pair would be charged with spying.

When asked to comment on news reports that the two faced charges of spying, Wood replied that US officials have "seen the reports and are aware of the charges."

But he declined to say how US officials were aware of the charges.

But Wood backtracked later.

"The US is aware of South Korean press stories reporting on South Korean sources claiming that the DPRK (North Korea) is investigating the two journalists for 'espionage,'" Wood said in a statement to the media.

"We are in touch with the DPRK through various channels, and the only statement that the DPRK has made to us says only that the DPRK believes that the two journalists crossed the DPRK border illegally," he added.

Wood has for days said the State Department is trying to avoid commenting too much on the case in order to increase chances for diplomacy to obtain their release.

On a separate issue, Wood urged North Korea again to refrain from its harsh rhetoric after Pyongyang warned that any United Nations sanctions imposed to punish it for an upcoming rocket launch would cause the breakdown of six-party nuclear disarmament talks.

Wood said he had not seen the latest North Korea warning but added "this type of rhetoric isn't helpful and, in fact, can be counterproductive."

The North says it intends to launch a communications satellite between April 4-8. South Korea, the United States and Japan see the exercise as a cover for a long-range missile test.

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