Freed Australian student thanks supporters

NICOLAS ASFOURI / AFP

The Australian student who was released after spending a week in detention in North Korea says he wants to return to "normal life."

29-year-old Alek Sigley also thanked his supporters the day after he was freed. 

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison interrupted Parliament on Thursday to announce that Sigley was now "safe and well" in Beijing after being "released from detention in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea".

He later said in a statement that Swedish authorities had helped secure the student's release.

It is unclear why the 29-year-old, who was pursuing a master's degree and running a tourism business in Pyongyang, was held in the country.