1. With martial law declared in Mindanao, the Philippines, in the wake of the shootout between government forces and an Islamic State (IS)-linked group in the region, the Republic of Korea Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in order to ensure the safety of the local Koreans, has decided to lift on May 21 the special travel advisory it had imposed on the cities of Davao and Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao, on May 24, 2017, and to keep Yellow Alert (travel-alert Level 2, Highly Cautious) in place.

° The cities of Davao and Cagayan de Oro, currently viewed as relatively safe areas in the Philippines, have been seeing their public security and stability restored, as demonstrated by foreign companies increasing their investment in those areas.

2. In a similar move, the ROK Foreign Ministry has decided to keep in place Yellow Alert (travel-alert Level 2, Highly Cautious), which it imposed on September 27, 2017, on the islands of Bali and Lombok after eruptions of the Agung volcano, for the area within a 4-kilometer radius from Mount Agung and to downgrade the travel-alert level for the rest of Bali and Lombok to Blue Alert (Precautious).

° Indonesian authorities lowered Mt. Agung’s eruption alert to level 3 from the previous level 4, the highest possible one, effective from February 10, 2018, amid the decreasing volcanic activities on that mountain.

3. The ROK Foreign Ministry will review whether to adjust the travel-alert levels for Davao and Cagayan de Oro, the Philippines, and Bali and Lombok, Indonesia, after meticulously monitoring the public security situation and the volcanic activities, respectively.

* unofficial translation