Authorities in the United Arab Emirates has decided to compound the economic woes of North Korea by blocking its citizens from entering its country.
North Korean Supreme leader, Kim Jong Un
The United Arab Emirates says it will stop issuing new visas to North Korean laborers, becoming the latest Gulf country to cut back on ties to Pyongyang amid tensions between North Korea and the U.S.
The announcement by the UAE Foreign Ministry on Thursday night did not address the thousands of North Korean laborers already working in the Emirates.
The announcement said that the UAE would pull its non-resident ambassador to North Korea as well.
The statement said the UAE "looks forward to a unified global front against North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile program."
Experts say North Korean laborers help Pyongyang avoid international sanctions and raise money for its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.