Travel Ban on All Regions of Ukraine from the 13th... Travel Alert Level 4

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Hyung-gil] As the risk of war with Russia increases, the government has banned travel for our citizens to the entire territory of Ukraine starting from the 13th.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that as of 0:00 on the 13th (5:00 PM local time on the 12th), it will issue a Level 4 travel alert (travel ban) for the entire territory of Ukraine, describing it as a preventive measure by the government in response to the urgent local situation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "Citizens currently staying in the area should urgently evacuate to a safe third country or back to Korea using available flights, etc. We ask citizens planning to travel to Ukraine to cancel their travel plans."

As of this date, there are 341 Korean nationals staying in Ukraine, including embassy staff. Information on departure methods using flights and land routes can be found on the website notice board of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Ukraine.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs requested, "Please notify our embassy of your departure plans and departure status."

The travel alert applies not only to travelers but also to all nationals residing abroad, including expatriates and missionaries. Unlike Levels 1 to 3, which have no penalties for violations, Level 4 travel ban violations are punishable under related regulations such as the Passport Act. Travel is prohibited, and those currently traveling must evacuate.

On January 25, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it would raise the travel alert to Level 3 (departure recommendation) for 12 provinces in the southeast and northeast, including Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the United States and the United Kingdom have also recommended evacuation of their nationals, and reports of an imminent war continue to emerge.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.