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US to ban citizens from travel to North Korea, tour operators say US to ban citizens from travel to North Korea after Otto Warmbier's death
(about 2 hours later)
Two travel companies that operate tours to North Korea have said the US government will soon ban its citizens from travelling to the country. The US government will soon ban its citizens from travelling to North Korea, the state department said on Friday.
It follows the death of Otto Warmbier, a US student who was arrested and sentenced to 15 years of hard labour while visiting North Korea. He was released in June in a coma and died in hospital in Cincinnati days after being medically evacuated. The announcement follows the death of Otto Warmbier, a US student who was arrested and sentenced to 15 years of hard labor while visiting North Korea. He was released in June in a coma and died in hospital in Cincinnati days after being medically evacuated.
US officials told the Associated Press on Friday that the secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, had decided to implement a “geographical travel restriction” for North Korea, which would make the use of US passports to enter the country illegal. A state department spokesperson, Heather Nauert, said: “Due to mounting concerns over the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention under North Korea’s system of law enforcement,” US passports would be invalid for travel to, through and in North Korea.
They said the restriction would come into effect 30 days after a notice is published in the Federal Register, but it was not immediately clear when that would be. There was no announcement in Friday’s editions of the government publication. Individuals will be required to obtain a passport with a special validation in order to travel to or within North Korea.
The officials were not authorised to publicly discuss the decision before it is announced and spoke on condition of anonymity. “The safety and security of US citizens overseas is one of our highest priorities,” Nauert said.
Koryo Tours said the ban would be announced on 27 July and would go into effect 30 days later. It did not say how long the ban would last. Nauerte said the secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, had decided to implement a “geographical travel restriction” for North Korea, which would make the use of US passports to enter the country illegal.
She added that the restriction would come into effect 30 days after a notice is published in the Federal Register, a government publication, next week.
Nauert said some US citizens seeking to to travel to North Korea for “certain limited humanitarian or other purposes” would be able to apply the state department for an exception to the ban.
News of the ban was first announced by two travel agencies that operate tours in North Korea. Koryo Tours said the ban would be announced on 27 July and would go into effect 30 days later.
Another tour operator, Young Pioneer Tours, said in a tweet that it had also been informed of the ban, citing the same date.Another tour operator, Young Pioneer Tours, said in a tweet that it had also been informed of the ban, citing the same date.
#BREAKING We have just been informed that US authorities will no longer allow US citizens to travel to the DPRK 30 days after July 27th#BREAKING We have just been informed that US authorities will no longer allow US citizens to travel to the DPRK 30 days after July 27th
Young Pioneer Tours was the agency that took Warmbier to North Korea.Young Pioneer Tours was the agency that took Warmbier to North Korea.
Warmbier’s parents, Fred and Cindy, said his death was a result of “the awful torturous mistreatment our son received at the hands of the North Koreans”.Warmbier’s parents, Fred and Cindy, said his death was a result of “the awful torturous mistreatment our son received at the hands of the North Koreans”.
Warmbier was arrested at Pyongyang airport in January 2016 for allegedly taking a propaganda poster from his hotel room, where he had been staying as part of an organised tour. Warmbier was arrested at Pyongyang airport in January 2016 for allegedly taking a propaganda poster from his hotel room, where he had been staying as part of an organized tour.
The University of Virginia student wept at his sentencing, saying: “I have made the worst mistake of my life.” The trial reportedly lasted less than an hour.The University of Virginia student wept at his sentencing, saying: “I have made the worst mistake of my life.” The trial reportedly lasted less than an hour.