UPDATE 2-Canada pastor held in N.Korea confesses to trying to overthrow state

(Adds North Korean media reports of pastor's confession,
previous dateline TORONTO)
SEOUL, July 30 (Reuters) - The head pastor of one of
Canada's largest congregations who has been detained by North
Korea since February appeared before media in Pyongyang and
confessed to crimes aimed at overthrowing the state, the North's
official news agency said on Friday.
The KCNA news agency said Hyeon Soo Lim, of the 3,000-member
Light Korean Presbyterian Church in Toronto, "honestly admitted
to all crimes" he was accused of committing.
KCNA quoted Lim as telling a news conference he had traveled
to North Korea in the guise of humanitarian work and gathered
information that he used in sermons outside the country in a bid
to drive the regime to a collapse "with the love of God."
His purpose was to "overturn its social system by taking
advantage of the hostile policy against it sought by the South
Korean authorities and set up a base for building a religious
state," KCNA quoted him as saying.
Lim also said he worked with South Korean and U.S.
authorities to "lure and abduct" North Koreans in a campaign of
aiding defectors from the country, KCNA said.
The church said in March that North Korea detained Lim
during one of his regular humanitarian missions there.
South Korean-born Lim has visited North Korea more than 100
times since 1997 and has helped establish an orphanage and a
nursing home there, according to the church. He has lived in
Canada since 1986 and is a Canadian citizen.
Canadian media have reported on Lim's extensive business
dealings in North Korea, including ramen and wig factories, gas
stations, farms and fishing operations.
Church spokeswoman Lisa Pak said she was aware of the latest
North Korean reports. "That's the most that we know, that the
press conference happened and he admitted, I use that word very
lightly, to some charges," Pak said.
In a statement provided by the church on Thursday, Lim's
family said it had no comment regarding the charges and
allegations, "except that the humanitarian aid projects that Mr.
Lim has both initiated and supported in the DPRK have been for
the betterment of the people."
Officials at Canada's Foreign Affairs department are "deeply
concerned," a spokeswoman said in a statement. "We continue to
advocate for consular access and for a resolution in his case."
Canada suspended diplomatic relations with Pyongyang in
2010. Both North Korea and China have clamped down on Christian
groups over the past year, and several American Christians have
been detained by North Korea.