Amid the unrelenting offensive by the Taliban in Afghanistan, all South Korean citizens have been asked to leave the country till the end of July.
Citing a source in the country's foreign ministry, Yonhap reported that traveling to Afghanistan from South Korea is currently prohibited, and the violation of the ban is punished by up to one year in prison or a fine of ten million won (USD 8,837).
"Despite our request, a very small number of our citizens remain in the country due to personal reasons and we plan to take necessary steps so as to help them evacuate as soon as they can," the official was cited as saying by the South Korean news agency.
The official further stated that it is advisable to leave the country before the situation deteriorates further following the withdrawal of the US troops and exit routes are blocked.
He further noted that a delegation from Seoul visited Kabul last week to meet with those citizens who are left in Afghanistan and urge them to leave as soon as possible.
If all efforts fail, the government reserves the right to file a criminal complaint against those remaining in Afghanistan, Yonhap reported.
Violence has escalated in Afghanistan since the Biden administration announced its decision to withdraw troops from the war-torn country. Experts believe that growing clashes between Taliban and Afghan forces is fueling fears that the country is headed into a civil war.
( With inputs from ANI )
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