▲ This image released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 14, 2023, shows the updated travel ban on the Gaza Strip. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

S Korea-travel ban

S. Korea extends travel ban on 8 countries, adds Gaza Strip to list

SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will extend a travel ban on eight countries for another six months and add the Gaza Strip to its list due to prolonged security risks, the foreign ministry said Friday.

The travel ban will be extended for Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Ukraine and Sudan, as well as parts of the Philippines, Russia, Belarus and the border area between Armenia and Azerbaijan, according to the ministry.

The ban, initially slated to end July 31, will be extended to Jan. 31, 2024.

The designated regions are exposed to constant risks of terrorist attacks and political instability that will likely persist for a considerable period of time, the ministry said.

The ministry said it will also impose a Level 4 travel alert, the highest in the four-tier system, on the Gaza Strip from Aug. 1, citing escalating tensions from the ongoing Israel-Palestine armed conflict in the region.

South Koreans traveling to countries or regions under the Level 4 alert can be punished under related laws.

Currently, the Gaza Strip and all areas within 5 kilometers are subject to a Level 3 advisory.

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