US bans travel to North Korea beginning September 1, says Americans should leave
WASHINGTON, Aug 2 (Reuters) - A ban on travel by U.S. passport
holders to North Korea will take effect on Sept. 1 and Americans in the
country should leave before that date, the U.S. State Department said on
Wednesday.
Journalists and humanitarian workers may apply for exceptions to the ban, the department said in a public notice.
The
U.S. government last month said it would bar Americans from traveling
to North Korea due to the risk of "long-term detention" there.
The
ban comes at a time of heightened tensions between the United States
and North Korea, which has been working to develop a nuclear-tipped
missile capable of hitting the United States.
North Korea will become the only country to which Americans are banned from traveling.
American
student Otto Warmbier, sentenced last year to 15 years' hard labor in
North Korea, returned to the United States in a coma on June 13 after
being released on humanitarian grounds, and died June 19. The
circumstances surrounding his death are not clear, including why he fell
into a coma.
North Korea has said through its state media that Warmbier's death
was "a mystery" and dismissed accusations that he had died as a result
of torture and beating in captivity.
The State Department issued a
notice in the Federal Register on Wednesday declaring U.S. passports
invalid for travel to, in or through North Korea. The restriction takes
effect in 30 days, and applies for one year unless extended or revoked
by the secretary of state.
"Persons currently in North Korea on a
U.S. passport should depart North Korea before the travel restriction
enters into effect on Friday, September 1, 2017," the department said in
a statement.
Professional reporters or journalists,
representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross or the
American Red Cross traveling on official missions, those traveling to
North Korea for "compelling humanitarian considerations" and those whose
requests are "in the national interest" may ask for a special
validation of their passports in order to travel to the country, the
State Department said.
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