The State Department on Wednesday warned Americans who are considering travel to North Korea that tourists may be helping the authoritarian regime syphon cash into its nuclear program.
"The [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] funnels revenue from a variety of sources to its nuclear and weapons programs, which it prioritizes above everything else, often at the expense of the well-being of its own people," the State Department cautioned in a statement.
"It is entirely possible that money spent by tourists in the DPRK goes to fund these programs. We would urge all travelers, before traveling to the DPRK, to consider what they might be supporting," the agency cautioned.
Officials also alerted Americans that they face "serious risk" of arrest or long-term imprisonment over actions that would not be considered criminal in the U.S., like snapping unauthorized photos or participating in religious actives.
"Numerous foreigners have been held in North Korea for extended periods of time without being formally charged with any crimes," the statement said. "Detained foreigners have been questioned daily for several weeks without the presence of counsel and have been compelled to make public statements and take part in public trials."
Over the past decade, at least 14 U.S. citizens have been detained in the country. The State Department noted that the U.S. government cannot offer consular help to citizens traveling to North Korea given severed relations between the two countries.
North Korea is currently bound by stiff U.S. sanctions over illegal nuclear and ballistic missile tests.