North Korea this week detained two female journalists who, authorities claim, were too close to the China-North Korea border.

South Korean television channel YTV said North Korean border guards actually crossed into Chinese territory to arrest the two Korean-American employees of a California-based online news company, Current TV. The women, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, were reportedly filming across the Tumen river and ignored warnings to stop. Foreign media need special visas to enter North Korea.

The detention doesn’t help tensions in the region. North Korea is angry over the annual joint military drill performed by South Korea and the United States, and Seoul fears their neighbors to the north may point a missile in their direction. North Korea says it’s preparing for a satellite launch next month, but the United States and South Korea claim that’s just a cover for a long-range missile test. Adding to the strain is the fact that North Korea recently closed its southern border, leaving 400 South Korean workers stranded in an industrial zone.

North Korea also this week turned down food aid from the United States. Some believe the super-secretive country doesn’t want foreigners in-country, thinking they could be spies. Pyongyang doesn’t come anywhere near being able to feed its population of 23 million. South Korean officials think the food shortage could be about 1.2 million tons this year, while the United Nations says almost 9 million people desperately need food.

The Yonhap news agency in South Korea says the U.S. seems to be trying to bring the reporters home, but staying quiet about the negotiations due to concerns over the reporters’ safety. "A U.S. government official may visit North Korea to bring them back," one source said.