The Australian man who went missing in North Korea has been released from detention and transported safely to China.

29-year-old Perth man Alek Sigley, who had been living in North Korea since 2013, hadn’t been heard from in over a week.

Mr Sigley is now making arrangements to go to Japan to see his wife.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne tells Ben Fordham the Swedish envoy had confirmed Mr Sigley was in detention.

“The timeline was very tight and very short and without the support and help of our counterparts in the Swedish government, this would not have been possible. So we are deeply, deeply grateful to them.

“I’m enormously relieved.”

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International College of Management Sydney Dr Leonid Petrov tells Ross Greenwood he doesn’t think Alek will speak right away about why he was detained.

“Probably he’ll need some time to absorb everything that has happened.”

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