Key facts
- A former U.S. envoy for North Korean human rights issues has called for the easing of the U.S. travel ban to North Korea.
- The ban, in place since September 2017, is cited as a hindrance to American humanitarian aid efforts.
- Robert King, who served as special envoy from 2009-2017, believes the ban has not achieved its intended goals.
- Aid groups, he stated, are better equipped to work with North Korean officials than average tourists.
- King also urged for free travel documents for humanitarian workers and guaranteed exceptions for those who qualify.
Robert King, who previously served as the U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights issues from 2009 to 2017, has urged the United States to ease its ban on American travel to North Korea. In an article published on the Korea Economic Institute of America's website, King argued that the prohibition, enacted in September 2017 following Otto Warmbier's return, has not demonstrably improved North Korea's attitude or the conditions for its citizens.