Hongkongers in South Korea urged to put safety first after martial law chaos

Hong Kong has called on its residents in South Korea to be mindful of their safety after the country imposed a martial law order and then lifted it hours later.

The Security Bureau updated the Outbound Travel Alert webpage for South Korea on Wednesday, noting the country’s government had lifted the order and withdrawn its troops in the early morning

“At present, social order in Korea is normal. Residents who intend to visit the country or are already there should continue to monitor the situation, exercise caution and attend to personal safety,” the alert said.

In an earlier alert, the bureau said the South Korean government had declared martial law and imposed a ban on political activities on Tuesday.

The bureau at the time urged Hongkongers visiting the country to “avoid large gatherings of people and pay attention to local announcements on the latest situation”.

Although South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol lifted the order after about six hours and withdrew military troops, the political situation remains uncertain with an impeachment against the leader looming.

The bureau said in a separate statement it would continue to monitor the situation in South Korea, adding updates would be issued via media, its mobile application and travel alert webpage.