Taipei, Nov. 29 (CNA) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Monday raised its travel alert level for South Korea and five islands near the maritime border between the two Koreas in the Yellow Sea over concerns of escalated tensions in the region.
The travel alert for the islands of Yeonpyeong -- twice shelled by North Korean artillery in the past week -- Daecheong, Socheong, Baengnyeong and U islands has been elevated to red, the highest level in the MOFA's four-color system, the ministry said in a press release.
The five islands are located near the Northern Limit Line, a disputed western maritime border shared by North and South Korea.
The travel alert for other regions of South Korea was raised from gray to yellow, the second lowest level, the MOFA said.
The ministry said the adjustment of the alert level was aimed at protecting the safety of Taiwanese tourists in the region because of rising tensions due to the North Korean shelling and an ongoing South Korea-United States joint military exercise.
Premier Wu Den-yih said on Nov. 24 that the government did not have any plans at that time to evacuate Taiwanese expatriates from South Korea because of the Korean Peninsula flare-up. (By Chris Wang) Enditem/ls