The government has extended its COVID-19 overseas travel advisory for another month due to the global transmission of the omicron variant.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Sunday that the special advisory concerning all countries and regions will be effective until March 13.

The special advisory is stronger than Level Two in the four-tier travel alert system, which urges people to refrain from travel, but is weaker than Level Three, which recommends evacuation. 

First issued in March 2020, the advisory has been extended every month as the COVID-19 pandemic continues worldwide.

The ministry is advising people who are planning to travel overseas to either cancel or postpone their trips. For those already abroad, the ministry is calling for extra vigilance against the virus.

The ministry plans to consider lifting the advisory in phases in the first half of the year, in line with the pace of both domestic and overseas vaccinations, mutual recognition of vaccination certification, and so-called "travel bubble" agreements with other countries.