Americans detained abroad - CNN.com Korean War veteran Merrill Newman, left, was detained October 26 by North Korean authorities just minutes before he was to depart the country after visiting through an organized tour. His son Jeff Newman says the Palo Alto, California, man had all the proper paperwork and set up his trip through a North Korean-approved travel agency. Newman's family has had no contact with him since he was detained. The U.S. State Department is trying to resolve the matter with North Korea's top ally, China.