Two US journalists arrested by North Korea near its border with China will face trial on 4 June

Two US journalists arrested by North Korea near its border with China will face trial on 4 June, North Korea's state-run KCNA news agency reports.

Euna Lee, a Korean-American, and Laura Ling, a Chinese-American, who work for a California-based internet broadcaster, were detained on 17 March.

The pair are charged with illegal entry after allegedly crossing over the border from China, and "hostile acts".

Some reports have suggested that they were arrested while on Chinese soil.

The two were working on a story for Current TV about refugees fleeing the communist North.

Fair trial?

The official KCNA news agency announced the trial date with a short statement.

Reporters Without Borders, a group that campaigns for media freedom, says the two journalists could face up to 10 years of forced labour if convicted of "hostile acts".

US President Barack Obama said earlier this month that his administration was especially concerned about their detention.

Washington has no diplomatic ties with Pyongyang, and the Swedish embassy has been acting on its behalf.

But the last the time the Swedish ambassador was able to see the reporters was on 30 March.

Amnesty International has said it is highly unlikely the two women will face a fair trial because of the judicial system's lack of independence or transparency.