The change will affect tens of thousands of people from visa waiver countries who have gone to the North Korea as tourists or for other purposes in recent years. (Express Illustrations)

US: No Visa-Free Entry for Foreign Tourists Who Have Visited North Korea

US Customs and Border Protection released an announcement on Monday (8/5) that the government has ended visa-free entry rights to the United States for foreign citizens who have visited North Korea as tourists or for other purposes at any point since March 11, 2011.

The new policy comes amid increasing tensions between the two countries over nuclear arms.

Under the US visa waiver program, citizens from 38 countries are permitted to enter the country without a visa for up to 90 days. However, those who have traveled to eight countries on the travel ban in the past eight years are no longer eligible for the rights. The countries include Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, and the new one North Korea.

On Tuesday, North Korea held its fourth ballistic test in less than two weeks by firing them into the sea, as South Korea began joint military exercises with the US. A North Korean diplomat Ju Yong Chol said the event was inciting more military tensions in the peninsula.

Despite the missile testing, US President Donald Trump tweeted on his Twitter account saying the testing did violate the US-North Korea agreement in Singapore. He praised the work done by Kim Jong Un instead.

The change in this visa waiver program will affect tens of thousands of people from countries including Singapore, South Korea, Japan, and France.

It will also damper South Korea’s promotion on cross-border tourism projects for its citizens.

Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/us-ends-visa-free-entry-for-foreigners-who-have-visited-north-11785160