South Korea Adds Pakistan's Balochistan to Passport Travel Ban List

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea has added Pakistan’s Balochistan province to the list of areas where Korean nationals’ passport use is restricted and visits or stays are prohibited, effective with the publication of Notice No. 2026-9 in the Republic of Korea Official Gazette (Gwanbo) on 3 September 2026. The decision, taken under Article 17 of the Passport Act, directly affects the travel plans of any Korean citizen intending to visit or remain in the province.

The new notice amends and supersedes the previous travel-restriction notice (Notice No. 2026-8), folding the Balochistan addition into the consolidated list. With this change, the government’s passport-use restriction and visit-and-stay ban now covers 10 countries and 13 regions worldwide.

Scope of the expanded ban

The consolidated list designates the following 10 countries in full:

• Iraq
• Somalia
• Afghanistan
• Yemen
• Libya
• Ukraine
• Sudan
• Haiti
• Mali
• Iran

The 13 restricted regions

In addition to the countries above, the notice restricts 13 regions, where passport use is limited and visits or stays are prohibited:

• Parts of the Philippines (Zamboanga Peninsula; Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi islands)
• Parts of Russia (Kursk Oblast in full, and the 30 km strip along the Ukrainian border in Rostov, Belgorod, Voronezh and Bryansk)
• Parts of Belarus (the 30 km strip along the Ukrainian border in Brest and Gomel)
• The Armenia–Azerbaijan border area (5 km on each side, excluding Artsvashen and the Nakhchivan–Armenia border)
• The Gaza Strip in Palestine
• Parts of Myanmar (northern and eastern Shan State, Kayah State, Rakhine State, and the Myawaddy area)
• The Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos
• The Israel–Lebanon border area (4 km on the Israeli side, 5 km on the Lebanese side)
• Parts of Lebanon (South Governorate, Nabatieh Governorate, parts of Dahieh excluding Beirut airport and the M51 road, Baalbek-Hermel, and the West Bekaa and Rashaya districts)
• Parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri provinces)
• Niger (excluding the capital Niamey)
• Parts of Syria (parts of the Golan Heights, excluding the Lebanon border and within 4 km of the UNDOF separation line)
• Pakistan (Balochistan province)

Legal basis and effect

The measure is grounded in Article 17 of the Passport Act, which empowers the government to restrict the use of passports for travel to areas where the safety of Korean nationals is judged to be at serious risk. The notice was issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and published in the Gwanbo on 3 September 2026, taking effect upon publication.

For Korean citizens, the practical consequence is that travel to Balochistan — a province that has seen persistent security incidents — is now formally discouraged and restricted at the passport level. Anyone planning to visit or remain in the newly added areas should review their itineraries, as the restriction carries direct implications for the validity of their passports for such travel.

Source: Republic of Korea Official Gazette (Gwanbo), No. 21314, 3 September 2026, Section I (official reference: 외교부고시 제2026-9호).