North Korea tourism: US ban its citizens travelling to North Korea

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A tourist takes a selfie during a visit to a subway station in Pyongyang on 23 July 2017.
Photo credits: GETTY IMAGES
Otto Frederick Warmbier on 29 February 2016

Otto Warmbier appeared in a news conference in 2016 confessing to stealing a propaganda sign. Photo credits: REUTERS

 The new rule was announced after US student Otto Warmbier died after being released from prison in North Korea.

The State Department said it was necessary "due to the serious and mounting risk" of detention.

Any US citizen breaking the rules may face criminal penalties and have their passports revoked.

The State Department would only grant permission to US citizens to go to North Korea "under very limited circumstances", such as for journalism or humanitarian work.

Tour operators have suggested that up to 1,000 Americans visit North Korea every year, making up about a fifth of Western tourists. The vast majority of visitors are Chinese.

On Thursday, tour operators flew out their last American tourists from Pyongyang.

Simon Cockerell, general manager of Koryo Tours, told the BBC's Newsday programme that he expected to see fewer customers overall from now on.

"[Although] the US travel ban only affects Americans, of course it sends out a message from the US that they believe strongly that people shouldn't visit," he said.

Recent detentions of US citizens have caused "a downward push in bookings" as "that's the thing that concerns people the most, that they may personally get into trouble".

Otto Warmbier was arrested and jailed in 2016 after Pyongyang accused him of attempting to take a propaganda sign from a hotel while on holiday.

He was released to his family in the US in June, but he was in a coma and died shortly afterwards without regaining consciousness. The cause of his death remains unclear.

The new rules also affect US citizens living and working in North Korea, such as aid workers and teachers.

About 60 US citizens who were employees or family members of employees at North Korea's Pyongyang University of Science and Technology have departed, according to Reuters.

The wire news agency said they were unable to receive special permission to stay, despite attempts by the university to lobby the US government for exemptions.

It quoted an unnamed source saying the school was "severely impacted" by the US travel ban as well as the "decision of some other personnel not to return."

The ban comes amid escalating tensions between the two countries and in the region.

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