A marker delineating the border between China and North Korea (Wikimedia Commons)The U.S. State Department has updated its travel advisory for North Korea with even stronger language, now explicitly telling Americans: “Do not travel to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea for any reason.” This replaces the previous, slightly softer warning to “exercise increased caution.” The revised advisory emphasizes the “continuing serious risk of arrest, long-term detention, and the threat of wrongful detention” for American citizens.
This bureaucratic language shift comes at a time of heightened tensions, as North Korea has acknowledged deploying troops to support Russia’s war in Ukraine. The advisory notes that Sweden serves as America’s protecting power in Pyongyang, but warns ominously that “North Korean government has often delayed or denied Swedish officials access to U.S. citizens who are detained.”
Expert Stephan Haggard from the University of California calls the change “not material because there is little or no travel anyway,” while tour operator Simon Cockerell suggests it’s merely making the warning “more blunt” to align with the “less-subtle-than-previously paradigm in US politics.” The advisory maintains that U.S. passports remain invalid for North Korean travel without special validation.
For Americans still dreaming of a spring getaway to Pyongyang’s concrete charms, the message is clear: cross this vacation destination off your bucket list. North Korean prison cells don’t come with continental breakfast.
Note: This is an opinion column offering a wry perspective on North Korean politics — where actual facts meet playful commentary.