State Department Tells US Citizens What to Do if They Plan on Visiting NK
It should come as no surprise to pretty much everybody that it isn’t a particularly smart idea for U.S. citizens to travel to North Korea, but the State Department just made sure that there is no doubt in the matter whatsoever.
According to the International Business Times, on Jan. 10 the State Department issued new advice regarding travel to the rogue communist regime, and the first piece of advice virtually goes without saying — “Do Not Travel” to North Korea.
However, for anyone who insists or simply must go to the backwards hermit kingdom on the Korean peninsula, there are a number of other pertinent pieces of advice that travelers should keep in mind.
As per the new travel advisory, American citizens visiting North Korea are forewarned that they face a “serious risk of arrest and long-term detention.”
As such, prior to leaving the U.S., citizens are advised to “Draft a will and designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries and/or power of attorney,” as well as “Discuss a plan with loved ones regarding care/custody of children, pets, property, belongings, non-liquid assets (collections, artwork, etc.), funeral wishes, etc.”
Potential travelers are also advised to check out the State Department’s special page of additional tips for those about to “Travel to High-Risk Areas,” as well as to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, to follow the Department on social media for updates, and to make emergency contingency plans.
Some of the other tips include such gems as giving important documents and information to loved ones to manage your affairs during a prolonged absence, developing communication plans with loved ones and a point-of-contact in case of kidnapping or arrest, establishing proof-of-life protocols for family members, providing a DNA sample in case it is necessary to identify your body, and clearing all personal and sensitive information from social media and electronic devices so it can’t be used against you.
The travel advisory noted that the U.S. has no embassy or consular presence in North Korea to provide assistance to U.S. citizens in trouble, and advised any travelers needing help to contact the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang — though it is known that the NK government routinely delays or denies access by Swedish officials to detained U.S. citizens.
The IBT noted that North Korea is among only a handful of nations that have received the “Level 4 — Do Not Travel” designation from the State Department. The other nations on that list include: Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Somalia and Yemen — all of which are dangerously war-torn and terror-ridden nations.
All that said, it’s not like anybody can just up and travel to North Korea on a whim anyways, as the State Department already issued new restrictions on travel to the country in mid-2017.
Those new restrictions, which mandate a U.S. citizen apply for and receive a special validation from the State Department prior to traveling, were implemented in the wake of the Otto Warmbier case, according to The Daily Wire.
Our readers no doubt recall the horrible tragedy that was the return of 22-year-old Warmbier to the U.S. after he was imprisoned in North Korea and sentenced to years of hard labor for the crime of stealing a propaganda poster.
Warmbier didn’t finish his sentence, and was instead returned to the U.S., though he was in a deep coma that was the result of unknown circumstances.
Sadly, Warmbier never recovered from the coma, and died only a few short days after being returned to his family.
So there you have it — if you plan to travel to North Korea in the near future, you must first obtain special permission from the State Department, and then draft a will and make funeral arrangements prior to leaving. In other words, “Do Not Travel” to North Korea.
Please share this story on Facebook and Twitter to let everyone know about the State Department’s advice for those who, for whatever reason, must travel to North Korea.
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