North Korea to release South Korean student held since April - Seoul

Joo Won-moon (C), a South Korean citizen who has permanent residency in the United States, speaks to media under portraits of North Korea's former leaders Kim Jong Il (top R) and Kim Il Sung, in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this photo taken by Kyodo September 25, 2015. REUTERS/Kyodo

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea will hand over a South Korean college student, holding a U.S. green card, later on Monday, six months after capturing him crossing into the country from China, an official at South Korea's Unification Ministry said.

The release of Joo Won-moon, who had been a student at New York University, will come days before the North celebrates the 70th anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party on Saturday.