US stops visa-free entry for foreigners who have been to N Korea

The US, on 6^th August, cancelled the visa-free entry services for foreigners who have been to North Korea. Those who have been to North Korea in the last 8 years would no longer be able to avail visa-free travel to the US.

38 countries are eligible for visa-free entry to the US under a visa-waiver program. Countries like Japan, Singapore, France and South Korea are included in the visa-waiver program. The program allows citizens of these countries visa-free travel for up to 90 days in the US.

As per the US Customs and Border Protection website, people who have visited North Korea since 1^st March 2011 are no longer eligible for visa-free entry to the US. Such people would need to apply for Tourist or Business Visas depending on their purpose of travel.

7 other countries are on the exclusion list, apart from North Korea. These include Syria, Libya and Somalia.

The new rule will affect many visitors from visa-free countries who have visited North Korea in the past.

President Moon Jae-in had hoped to promote cross-border tourism projects with North Korea. However, the new US rule will dampen the same, as quoted by Al Jazeera.

Media in South Korea have put the spotlight on top business leaders like Lee Jae-Yong. He is the Vice President of Samsung Electronics and was a part of the delegation that visited North Korea for the Pyongyang summit.

There is a ban on US citizens visiting North Korea since 2017. The ban was put in place after an American student was detained in Pyongyang, North Korea. The student was released in a coma and died a few days later.

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