Reply to UVA Student Released from North Korea; Has Been in a Coma for a Year?

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Reply to "UVA Student Released from North Korea; Has Been in a Coma for a Year?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I have nothing but sympathy and prayers for Otto and his family.  It was dumb to go to NK, but not anything deserving of what they've been through.

That said.... I do not understand why Americans are allowed to go there.  We aren't allowed to go to Cuba, where by all accounts tourists will be treated just fine.  Why doesn't the US place an embargo on NK just the same and just avoid the terrible (but predictable) outcomes like this.[/quote]

Please tell me you are this divorced from reality.  The US has a trade embargo.  The US doesn't have diplomatic relations with the DPRK.  You can't waltz over to its embassy in DC.  Rather, you can only get a tourist visa when in China.  Our government doesn't forcibly restrain its citizens from visiting and putting themselves at risk of arrest or even kidnapping and secret detention.  [/quote]

Surely you are not this divorced from reality.

Yes, it is complicated for Americans to go to NK.  But it is NOT ILLEGAL.  
Yes, pre-Obama changes Americans could skirt the law and get into Cuba (who would kindly not stamp their passport), but it WAS ILLEGAL (and still us under some circumstances)

The state dept has issued a very strongly worded Travel Warning to US Citizens against traveling to North Korea.  
This is the statement about Cuba:  Travel to Cuba for tourist activities remains prohibited by statute.

Different, see?

Given the gravity of what could happen to tourists in NK and the atrocities that we know about by their government, it seems that travel to NK for tourist activities should also be prohibited by statute.[/quote]

Ah, so Congress has to pass a law then?  Didn't someone introduce a bill in the House?[/quote]

Isn't that a "nanny-state" kind of law, though?  I mean, if the government shouldn't be involved in banning food that will kill people, then why should it be involved in telling people not to travel to NK?[/quote]

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