North Korea due to the risk of "long-term detention" in the country, where a U.S. student was placed in durance vileBook 'im, Mahmoud!
while on a tour last year and later died.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has authorized a "Geographical Travel Restriction" on Americans to forbid them from entering North Korea, spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.
"Once in effect, U.S. passports will be invalid for travel to, through and in North Korea, and individuals will be required to obtain a passport with a special validation in order to travel to or within North Korea," Nauert said.
The move was due to "mounting concerns over the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention under North Korea's system of law enforcement," she said.