Taking effect from 2 p.m., travel to Ituri Province has been banned under the highest level of the four-tier overseas travel advisories amid a recent rise in Ebola-related deaths there, expanding the no-travel zone to three provinces including North Kivu and South Kivu in the African country.
According to the ministry, hundreds of Ebola cases and suspected infections have been reported in Ituri and North Kivu provinces, with more than 100 deaths already confirmed.
South Koreans who visit or remain in these areas without special permission could face penalties.
The ministry also issued a lower, second-highest warning for several areas near the border including Bas-Uélé and Haut-Uélé, urging those staying there to leave.
The latest outbreak of the deadly virus involves the Bundibugyo strain, which has no approved vaccine or treatment, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it a public health emergency of international concern.
According to estimates by the U.K.-based Medical Research Council (MRC), the number of infections may already exceed 1,000 including cases still in the incubation period.
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