Several U.S. NGOs regularly working in North Korea have since September had applications to visit the country for humanitarian reasons repeatedly rejected by the Department of State, NGOs and those familiar with their situation have told NK News.

At least five NGOs, possibly as many as seven, have in the past month had their exemption requests rejected, an informed NGO source said on condition of anonymity.

The rejections follow the August 30 extension of a ban on American citizens visiting North Korea without express government permission.

“My boss and I were denied a