피랍 구출 한국인 귀국,... 곳곳에 위험지역 여행하는 국민들 여전히 있어
The South Korean woman rescued from Burkina Faso last week is back home after being given the all clear by French health officials.
However, Seoul's foreign ministry pointed out, there are still other Koreans in high-risk areas.
For details let's turn to our Lee Ji-won
The South Korean hostage who was rescued from militants in Burkina Faso returned to South Korea on Tuesday afternoon.
Upon her arrival, the National Intelligence Service carried out an investigation as required by the counter-terrorism act.
The woman, only identified by her surname, Jang,... was kidnapped a month ago near the border between Burkina Faso and Benin, and was held along with one American, and two French nationals.
They were all rescued by the French army last week.
The Korean hostage had reportedly been traveling around the world for a year.
And starting January,... Jang traveled through Africa,... including Mauritania and Mali, two countries that are under the second highest travel alert by Seoul's foreign ministry,... which recommends that people leave those countries as soon as they can.
The majority of Burkina Faso was classified as the level below that,... the 'highly cautious-level' when Jang was captured,... but due to that event,... Seoul on Monday adjusted the travel-alert level of the eastern part of Burkina Faso to the second highest level.
Despite the warnings, there are travelers who are still out in those countries, risking their safety.
The foreign affairs ministry also says that it is hard to keep track of each and every citizen unless they are in regions under a full travel ban.
There are seven regions under Seoul's travel ban,... and Koreans who enter and remain in those areas are subject to criminal punishment for violating the passport act, unless their travel has been approved by the government.
However, the ministry says there are still well over a thousand people in those countries,... including the South Korean man abducted in Libya last July.
Seoul's foreign affairs ministry says it will review the travel alert levels of African and Middle Eastern countries and find better ways to inform people of the travel safety guidelines via social networking sites and the ministry's webpage.
It said it will also continue cooperating with other countries more advanced in crisis management to make improvements in those aspects.
Lee Ji-won, Arirang News.
