1. The Foreign Ministry, which adjusts its travel advisories for foreign countries on a biannual basis, issued new travel advisories or changed the levels of some existing ones, effective from August 22. Korean nationals with plans to visit foreign countries are advised to check the travel-alert levels for those countries.

[Newly issued travel advisories (two countries)]

° UK
- (London) Level 1/Blue Alert (Precautious)
Concerns over public insecurity in the wake of the series of terrorist attacks in the first half of 2017

° Costa Rica
- (Across the country) Level 1/Blue Alert (Precautious)
Concerns over safety amid drug trafficking, such natural disasters as volcanoes and earthquakes, and viral infections

[Raised travel-alert levels (five countries)]

° Guatemala
- (San Marcos) Level 2/Yellow Alert (Highly Cautious) from the previous Level 1/Blue Alert (Precautious)
Drug traffickers in control of the region and hence the risk of being attacked by related gunmen; martial law in place amid continued armed clashes

° Brazil
- (Rio de Janeiro) Level 2/Yellow Alert (Highly Cautious) from the previous Level 1/Blue Alert (Precautious)
Crimes for living amid growing unemployment; worsening public security situation following the bankruptcy of the Rio government

° Spain
- (Barcelona) Level 2/Yellow Alert (Highly Cautious) from the previous Level 1/Blue Alert (Precautious)
Car attack in Barcelona on August 18

° Ecuador
- (Santa Elena) Level 2/Yellow Alert (Highly Cautious) from the previous Level 1/Blue Alert (Precautious)
Frequent drug-related crimes in the region

° Democratic Republic of the Congo
- (Kasai, Lulua, Kasai-Oriental) Level 3/Red Alert (Travel Restricted) from the previous Level 2/Yellow Alert (Highly Cautious)
Conflict exacerbating between government and anti-government forces

[Lowered travel-alert levels (four countries)]

° Gabon
- (Across the country) Level 1/Blue Alert (Precautious) from the previous Level 2/Yellow Alert (Highly Cautious)
Improving public security situation, as can be seen from the country’s successful hosting of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations soccer matches in January

° Sao Tome and Principe
- (Across the country) No longer under Level 1/Blue Alert (Precautious)
Unprecedented political stability in the wake of the presidential election in 2016

° Colombia
- (Border areas with Venezuela and Ecuador) Level 3/Red Alert (Travel Restricted) for the areas within 20 kilometers from its borders from the previous 40 kilometers
- (Putumayo, Meta and Norte de Santander) Level 2/Yellow Alert (Highly Cautious) from the previous Level 3/Red Alert (Travel Restricted)

- (Bichada, Casanare, Tolima, Caldas, Atlantico) Level 1/Blue Alert (Precautious) from the previous Level 2/Yellow Alert (Highly Cautious)
The number of the murdered and abducted as well as of terrorist attacks on the decrease since the conclusion in November 2016 of a peace agreement between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

° Turkey
- (Ankara, Izmir) Level 1/Blue Alert (Precautious) from the previous Level 2/Yellow Alert (Highly Cautious)
A lull in terrorist activities; and pre-coup stability restored

2. Please visit the Foreign Ministry’s website on safe overseas travel at www.0404.go.kr to check the travel advisories and the behavioral guidelines for each travel-alert level, as well as safety updates on individual countries.


* unofficial translation