US bans tourist travel to N Korea

AMERICA is banning its citizens from travelling to North Korea.

The move comes after the death of US student Otto Warmbier who fell into a coma after being detained in a North Korean prison.

Officials said that secretary of state rex Tillerson decided to implement a ‘geographical travel restriction’ for North Korea, which would make using a US passport to enter the country illegal.

They said the restriction would be published next week and will take effect 30 days later.

Tour operators that organise group trips to the isolated nation reported that they had already been informed of the decision.

Under US law, the secretary of state has the authority to designate passports as restricted for travel to countries with which the United States is at war, when armed hostilities are in progress, or when there is an imminent danger to the public health or physical security of US travellers.

Geographic travel restrictions are rare but have been used in the past for countries which have been determined to be unsafe.

Since 1967, such bans have been imposed on countries such as iraq and Libya.

The Trump administration had been considering the step since Mr Warmbier died last month after being medically evacuated from North Korea. He suffered a severe neurological injury while in custody.

relatives said they were told the 22-year- old University of Virginia student, pictured, fell into a coma shortly after he was sentenced to 15 years of hard labour in March 2016. He was accused of stealing a propaganda poster while on a tour.

The North Korean government is frequently accused of using foreign prisoners to win diplomatic concessions.

Simon Cockerell, of Koryo Tours, which organises guided trips to North Korea, said the ban would affect 800 to 1,000 Americans who visit North Korea annually.

He added that the ban would set back engagement with the country: ‘it’s unfortunate because we criticise North Korea for being isolationist and now we’re helping isolate them.’