1. Considering the recent deterioration of the security situation in some regions of Ecuador, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to issue a temporary (one week, automatically extended if the situation does not get better) “special travel advisory,” effective from April 3, for some of the regions where Yellow Alert (travel-alert level 2: Highly Cautious) has been issued in order to ensure the safety of Korean nationals.

※ Currently, Yellow Alert is in place in Quito, Guayaquil, areas around Mt. Reventador and Mt. Tungurahua, and the provinces of Santa Elena, Manabi, Esmeraldas, Carchi, and Sucumbios.

- The rest of the country is under Blue Alert (travel-alert level 1: Precautious).

o The regions for which the special travel advisory has been issued this time are the cantons of San Lorenzo and Eloy Alfaro in the province of Esmeraldas.

o The security situation in the country is unstable, with a series of incidents occurring in the Ecuador-Colombia border region, including a bomb attack on a police station (January 2018), the incident where soldiers patrolling the border region were killed or injured (March 2018), and the abduction of staff members of an Ecuadorean newspaper.

※ Immediately after the terrorist incident in January this year, the government of Ecuador declared a state of emergency for 60 days in the cantons of San Lorenzo and Eloy Alfaro in Esmeraldas. On March 28, the state of emergency was extended by another 30 days.

o The “special travel advisory” is tantamount to the travel-alert level of Red Alert (Travel Restricted), which calls for leaving the designated areas unless there are urgent matters to attend to, and cancelling or postponing the plan to visit the areas, if possible.

2. The Korean nationals planning to visit Ecuador are advised to cancel or postpone their plans for the time being unless there are urgent matters to attend to. Those staying for an extended period of time in Ecuador or having to visit the country are asked to pay serious heed to their safety.

3. The Foreign Ministry will review whether to keep the special travel advisory in place, watching closely the security situation in Ecuador.

* unofficial translation