The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Thursday said it was considering applying wartime law to Aijalon Mahli Gomes, an American imprisoned in the DPRK for illegally entering the country, the official news agency KCNA reported.

The United States continued to implement its anti-DPRK policy by escalating the campaign to put international pressure on the DPRK over the "Cheonan" case, compelling the DPRK to consider handling all relevant issues such as Gomes' imprisonment according to a wartime law, reported the KCNA.

The authorities concerned are now examining the issue to decide what additional measure should be taken against Gomes in line with a wartime law.

Although Washington was requesting the DPRK to set him free from a humanitarian stand, "such thing can never happen under the prevailing situation" and he would only be meted with harsher punishment, it said.

If the United States persists in its hostile policy against the DPRK, the DPRK will consider applying a wartime law to Gomes.

Gomes, who was born in 1979 and lived in Boston, was detained by the DPRK on Jan. 25 for illegally entering the country. He was sentenced to eight years imprisonment and fined 70 million won (700,000 U.S. dollars) on April 6.