North Korea says leaving its door open to US visitors

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Friday slammed the United States for issuing a travel ban on the country, adding that US visitors “of good will” are welcome to the country, state-run media reported.

“Regardless of any government’s policy towards North Korea, we encourage various forms of exchanges and contacts including visits by people from all over the world,” a Foreign Ministry spokesperson was quoted by the Korean Central News Agency as saying.

“We will always leave our door wide open to any US citizen who would like to visit our country out of good will and to see the realities with their own eyes,” he said. The spokesperson stressed that North Korea is safe enough for foreign visitors where foreigners will feel no threat at all because of its “stable and strong state system.” As for a few US citizens punished for their hostile acts against the DPRK, the spokesperson said “there is no country in the world that will ignore the foreigners who committed hostile acts within its territory.” He added that “it is a legitimate right of a sovereign state to punish criminals as required by law.”

The spokesperson also slammed the travel ban as a “childish” and “vile” measure to limit the peopleto-people contact. He said its purpose is to prevent US citizens from seeing “the true picture of North Korea that has achieved victory after victory.”

“It is also a reflection of the US administration’s perception which regards North Korea as an enemy,” said the spokesman.

The spokesperson called on the Donald Trump administration to abandon its hostile policy towards North Korea.

On August 2, the US Department of State announced a travel ban to North Korea, which will come into effect next month.