1. On November 28, the government of the Republic of Korea held a meeting to discuss measures to be taken by the government to solve the inconvenience Korean people are experiencing after Bali’s international airport was closed temporarily and flights between Bali and Incheon were cancelled in the wake of volcanic eruptions from Mount Agung on the Indonesian island of Bali. The meeting, chaired by Ambassador for Overseas Koreans and Consular Affairs Han Dong-man, was attended by representatives from relevant government agencies and organizations, including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Korea Association of Travel Agents, Asiana Airlines, and the ROK Embassy in Indonesia.

2. In his opening remarks, Ambassador Han Dong-man talked about the current situation regarding volcanic eruptions from Bali’s Mount Agung, including signs of volcanic activity and Korean nationals staying in Bali. He also advised Koreans staying or planning to travel to Bali to avoid the area around Mount Agung and refrain from traveling to the region for the time being.

3. In the meeting, the participants discussed the measures being taken to protect Koreans staying in Bali, including setting up a task force on the protection of overseas Koreans within the Foreign Ministry’s headquarters, as well as a local task force within the ROK Embassy in Indonesia, in order to provide support more systematically, and establishing an information desk at Bali’s international airport to inform Koreans there of other means of transport to leave Indonesia.

4. In addition, in order to evacuate Koreans there as soon as possible, they decided to arrange buses to move Koreans from Bali to Surabaya Juanda International Airport, and send officials from the ROK diplomatic mission and the Foreign Ministry’s emergency response team to the region to strengthen support on the ground. They also discussed ways to send emergency charter flights to prepare for the possibility that the inconvenience caused by volcanic activity will persist for a long time.


* unofficial translation