Belgium has not issued a recommendation against travelling to South Korea following the recent political tensions, but is closely monitoring the situation and advising Belgians in the country to remain cautious.
The political situation in South Korea is currently tense. President Yoon Suk Yeol briefly imposed martial law on Tuesday evening, but it was lifted by Parliament during the night of 3 to 4 December 2024.
"We are closely monitoring the situation in South Korea, together with our Embassy in Seoul. Yesterday and today, the necessary messages were sent out to inform the Belgians in the country," Pierre Steverlynck, a spokesperson for the Foreign Affairs Ministry, told The Brussels Times.
The Ministry is aware of approximately 450 Belgians in South Korea, of whom approximately 100 people are only staying there temporarily, he added.
While there is no official recommendation against travelling to the country, the Foreign Affairs Ministry advises travellers to "carefully read and follow" the advice on its website. "As for Belgians who are staying in Korea but have not yet registered, we encourage them to do so via Travellers Online or our Embassy in Seoul."
They added that the situation "seems to be evolving towards a peaceful and political solution, with respect for the constitutional order. Travellers in South Korea to resume their normal activities, but remain cautious. "Keep following the news and avoid political meetings."
Political tensions
The Belgian Foreign Affairs website states that inter-Korean relations are "tense". Despite this, "daily life in South Korea is peaceful and can make you forget that the conflict with North Korea is not over yet."
"Therefore, it is advisable to keep yourself regularly informed of developments in the region and to respect the usual precautionary rules."
The Korean Ministry of the Interior and Security (MoIS) has developed the Emergency Ready App in English, which allows people to receive notifications in the event of natural, social or other disasters.
This application also provides useful information in the event of a crisis, such as the location of medical centres and shelters. "Travellers are strongly advised to install the app on their smartphones and follow the instructions of the authorities."
