The Foreign Ministry said it held a joint headquarters–mission situation review on the afternoon of March 13, chaired by Im Sang-woo, the government representative for overseas citizen protection and consular affairs. Seven Middle East missions attended to assess regional developments and review measures to protect overseas Koreans.
The embassies in Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait participated in the meeting.
At the meeting, Im urged each mission — given the current situation in the Middle East — to continue assisting Korean nationals with evacuation to neighboring countries and repatriation. He asked missions to maintain efforts to secure the safety of those remaining locally and to continue recommending departure where appropriate.
He also noted that Lebanon’s security situation has deteriorated, reminding attendees that authorities on March 12 issued a Level 4 travel alert — a travel ban — for parts of the Dahieh district in southern Beirut. He instructed missions to monitor developments in the region closely.
Im commended mission staff for their efforts to protect overseas nationals under difficult conditions and said the ministry’s headquarters will pay special attention to the safety of mission personnel and their families.
Each participating mission pledged to stay in close communication with headquarters and relevant posts, continuously check on the safety of Koreans in their jurisdictions, and actively support evacuations to safe areas and repatriation to ensure comprehensive protection of overseas nationals.
Meanwhile, as commercial flights resumed in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, more Koreans have been able to return on scheduled services. About 290 Koreans returned on March 12 via Emirates flights from Dubai and Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi. An additional temporary Qatar Airways flight, arranged after one on March 11, was scheduled to operate on March 13.
Additionally, four Koreans in Oman boarded a charter plane provided by the Japanese government on March 12 and arrived in Japan on March 13. The embassy in Oman assisted with transportation to the airport and boarding procedures. The embassy in Japan said it will continue to provide safety information and support, including assistance for passengers with limited mobility, until those nationals board flights back to Korea.
