Israelis Warned to Stay Out of North Korea

The Foreign Ministry has reiterated its advisory against travel to North Korea, calling on Israelis “to refrain from travel, for any purpose, to North Korea.”

No specific danger from terrorism or war was mentioned. Instead, the ministry generally cited “an increase in tensions in the region” and the fact that “North Korea is under a comprehensive system of international sanctions, including severe limitations on any financial and commercial cooperation.”

In addition, the advisory made it clear that any Israeli in trouble in that country would be on his own.

“In light of the fact that the state of Israel has no diplomatic relations with North Korea, in the case that an Israeli citizen finds himself in any sort of distress while in North Korea, Israeli representatives will be unable to help or give any sort of response.”

However, there is no legal ban on travel there, and the advisory comes as Israeli tourism company Tarbutu announced planned tours to North Korea in coming months.

“North Korea is without question one of the most fascinating countries in the world today,” Tarbutu program manager Haim Peres told Arutz Sheva. “It is a closed country cut off from the world, including its neighbors. More is unknown than known about the country.”