The United States has banned visits to North Korea by US citizens, following the death of an American student who was arrested and imprisoned while visiting Pyongyang as a tourist.
Two of the small number of travel agencies that operate tours to North Korea said that they had been informed of the ban, which will be announced next week and take effect 30 days later.
“We have just been informed that the US government will no longer be allowing US citizens to travel to North Korea,” said a statement on the website of Young Pioneer Tours.
“It is expected that the ban will come into force within 30 days of July 27. After the 30 day grace period any US national that travels to North Korea will have their passport invalidated by their government.”
The ban comes a month after the death of Otto Warmbier, a 22-year old American student who died in a US hospital as a result of brain-damaged suffered during 17 months detention in North Korea.
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Mr Warmbier, who was travelling on a tour organised by Young Pioneer, was sentenced to 15 years hard labour for stealing a propaganda banner. His death provoked widespread indignation in the US.
Some 5,000 Western tourists visit North Korea every year, about 1,000 of them from the US. A number of Americans have been arrested, tried and convicted in North Korea over the years.
All have eventually been released, usually following a visit and apology by a high-ranking representative of the government, and the payment of “compensation”.