Seoul: The United States will extend its ban on its citizens' travel to North Korea for another year, a State Department notice showed Tuesday. The decision was made due to "serious" risks associated with travel to the reclusive state.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the department posted the notice on the Federal Register on Monday. The extension will keep the restriction in place from September 1 of this year to August 31 of next year, as the current measure is set to expire on August 31.

Under this measure, all U.S. passports will remain invalid for travel to, in, or through North Korea unless specially validated for such travel. The Department of State stated in the notice that there continues to be a serious risk to U.S. citizens and nationals of arrest and long-term detention, which constitutes imminent danger to their physical safety.

The U.S. first implemented the travel restriction on North Korea in 2017, and it has been extended annually since then.