Italy's foreign minister has said the country is investigating whether the daughter of a former North Korean diplomat was forcibly returned to Pyongyang as her parents apparently tried to defect.
Enzo Moavero Milanesi was responding to demands by Italian politicians to know the fate of the 17-year-old girl.
Her father Jo Song Gil had been serving as North Korea's acting ambassador to Italy.
Last month, South Korea's spy agency told South Korean politicians that Mr Jo went into hiding with his wife in November 2018, as his posting to Italy was nearing its end.
Mr Jo's disappearance raised the possibility of the defection of a senior North Korean official.
His whereabouts are unknown and Italy has only said that Mr Jo had not requested asylum.
South Korean media have reported Mr Jo was under Italian government protection.