South Korea's foreign ministry on Tuesday rejected recent requests from 26 nationals seeking exceptions from a travel ban for Libya, citing unstable security situations in the country.

   The decision on the requests and other passport policy issues was made at the ministry's meeting presided over by Vice Foreign Minister Lee Tae-ho.
Aside from the security situations, the ministry also noted that the applicants' plans for their safety, including their accommodations in Libya, are "very insufficient."

A South Korean national must obtain government approval for the use of his or her passport when travelling to a country subject to a travel ban.

   The ministry also decided to reiterate its recommendation that South Korean residents in Libya immediately withdraw from the country. It will take administrative steps such as nullifying their passports if they do not leave the country within a month, the ministry said.

   "The decision is part of inevitable measures taken to ensure the safety of our citizens," the ministry said. "While carefully watching the security situation in Libya, we plan to devise various measures to secure their safety."