S. Korea issues travel warning for protest-hit Hong Kong

(AFP-Yonhap)

SEOUL — South Korea has issued a travel warning for Hong Kong, citing increasing risks from escalating violence in deepening anti-government protests, Seoul’s foreign ministry said. 

A “navy warning”, which calls for caution and is the lowest of the four-phase travel warning system, has been imposed on all of Hong Kong, effective as of Monday, the ministry said in a release. 

The decision was made to ensure the safety of South Koreans staying in or planning to visit Hong Kong, as physical clashes from the demonstrations are intensifying, it said. 

The ministry will keep close tabs on the protests and security situation there so as to promptly react with appropriate travel warning measures, it added. 

Anti-government protests in Hong Kong took another turn over the weekend as riot police fired warning shots at protesters and later defended their moves. 

The ballooning pro-democracy protest, sparked by opposition to a new extradition bill allowing transfers of suspects to mainland China, has shown no signs of letting up. (Yonhap)