U.S. citizens warned not to travel to North Korea

Saturday, September 1, 2018

State Department official notified that the U.S. State Department is extending the ban on U.S. citizens travelling to North Korea for yet another year.

On September 1, the ban expired which restricted the U.S. passport holders from travelling to or through North Korea.

It was further mentioned that those individual wishing to travel to or within North Korea for extremely limited purposes and those travelling in the U.S. national interest can apply for ‘special validation’.

The spokesman mentioned that the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas was of prime concern.

As per the State Department’s guidance considering national interest and purpose trips to North Korea might be possible.

However, there will be exceptions for representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross or the American Red Cross appointed on officially sponsored mission or  a trip is solely based on ‘compelling humanitarian considerations’.

Trips made on national interest might also include diplomats working on negotiations with Pyongyang to reduce nuclear program.

After the death of US student Otto Warmbier the ban came into effect during last year September 2017.

In 2016 a  22-year-old  economics student on his trip to North Korea along with a tour group was put behind the bars for trying to steal a propaganda sign.

As penalty he was sentenced to 15 years of  prison but in 2017 he was returned to the US in a coma and passed away after a few weeks.

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