The foreign ministry has advised the evacuation of South Koreans staying in areas of Belarus that border the Ukraine.

The ministry said Friday it decided to issue a Level Three travel alert to ensure the safety of Korean citizens in the border area. Under the advisory taking effect from Saturday, residents in the Brest and Gomel regions of Belarus are advised to leave the area. 

The ministry asked them to move to a safer place if they don't have urgent business that bars them from leaving. People traveling to the area are also urged to postpone or cancel their plans.

The ministry operates a four-tier advisory scheme with the strongest Level Four indicating a travel ban. On February 13, a travel ban was issued for all regions of Ukraine.

On Thursday, a Level Three alert was issued for areas in Russia bordering Ukraine.