Korea eases travel ban for parts of Cambodia and Venezuela

Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday relaxed its highest-level travel advisory for parts of Cambodia and Venezuela, citing improved local security conditions.

The ministry lowered its Level 4 travel advisory, which bans travel, to Level 3, which advises citizens to leave or avoid travel, for Cambodia's Bokor Mountain area in Kampot Province, as well as the cities of Bavet and Poipet.

The Level 4 advisory had been imposed on the Cambodian locations in October last year.

The ministry said the decision reflected improved public safety, noting that reports involving Korean victims fell 94 percent in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year.

The ministry also downgraded its Level 4 advisory to Level 3 for Venezuela's states of Zulia, Táchira, Apure and Sucre.

Level 4 travel advisories were extended through Jan. 31 for 10 countries — Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Ukraine, Sudan, Haiti, Mali and Iran — as well as 12 regions, including parts of the Philippines, Myanmar, Russia, Belarus, Syria, and the Gaza Strip.

The ministry warned that Korean nationals who travel to or remain in areas under a Level 4 advisory without government approval may face criminal penalties and administrative sanctions under the Passport Act.

As part of its regular review of travel advisories, the ministry also eased restrictions for other areas in Cambodia and Nepal.

Cambodia's Sihanoukville Province was downgraded from Level 3 to Level 2, which advises travelers to exercise restraint. A special travel advisory for seven Cambodian provinces bordering Thailand was also lifted, leaving the areas under a Level 1 advisory, which urges travelers to exercise caution.

In Nepal, a special travel advisory for Bagmati Province was lowered to Level 1 after the ministry determined that the political situation had stabilized following the launch of a new government in March.

By contrast, special travel advisories for 15 countries, including El Salvador and Cuba, were extended for another 90 days.

BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]