My name is Daniel. I was an English teacher in Seoul, South Korea, and am now a writer who has

published three books including South Korea: Our Story by Daniel Nardini.

                   Strangely enough, Americans can travel to North Korea and visit that country. There are

LOTS and LOTS of warnings by the U.S. State Department to NOT visit North Korea 

(officially called the Democratic People's Republic of Korea). That all said, there is no U.S. law that stops Americans from going to North Korea and visiting the country. An American tourist might be stopped from using a credit card in North Korea, and violating certain sanctions, BUT not prevented from seeing the country and spending money there on tourism. Just as bizarre, there are some tourist agencies in the United States that sponsor group or individual trips to North Korea. Among them are Uri Tours and New Korea Tours. Both handle the visa requirements, and both handle the travel arrangements. Although the U.S. government warns about the risks of traveling to North Korea (such as getting arrested), out of the 4,000 to 6,000 visitors to North Korea, an estimated quarter of them are American. Those Americans who travel to North Korea range from being students to former American

soldiers who fought in the Korean War to professors and other academics. There are three main reasons

why Americans visit North Korea. First, because it is a different country from most. Second, because there

is so much about it in the news, and finally because it is difficult and rather expensive to get to North

Korea from the United States. Whatever individual Americans choose where to go is up to them, but I

choose to go only to the Republic of Korea (South Korea). Any American who lands in trouble with

the North Korean government should be in my view on their own. After all, they have been warned.