South Korea remains a safe place to travel, despite a series of threats made over the past week by North Korea's government, according to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).
In a letter to the travel industry and travelers to Korea, Sejoon You, executive director of KTO's New York office, said, "North Korea has a long history of making confrontational rhetoric and empty threats to South Korea, the United States and other nations as well. All the experts in this matter, both international and based in the U.S., agree that there is no real or present danger that North Korea would act on its threats."
The KTO recommends that travel agents refer clients to the U.S State Department's website, which has not added South Korea to its list of countries with a current travel warning.
"The real situation in Korea is completely normal, as the daily lives of the Korean people and its visitors remain peaceful, safe and uninterrupted," You said. "Korea remains a safe, pleasant and beautiful destination to be enjoyed now and later. All hotels, airports, airlines, cities and attractions are operating normally."
You added that April and May are "the most beautiful months in Korea, with cherry blossoms and forsythia everywhere."