[Anchor]
As the war in the Middle East enters its fourth week, concern for the safety of South Korean nationals has intensified.
The government has expanded the issuance of Black Alerts — its highest-level travel warning for severe threats.
At the same time, Seoul is engaging with Iran over passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Mina Kim reports.
[Reporter]
Large portions of Lebanon have been marked black on official travel maps.
Following Israel’s deployment of ground forces, authorities added travel bans for southern border areas of Lebanon and for Baalbek-Hermel province, where airstrikes continue.
Iran, which had been designated red, was upgraded to black across the entire country in less than a week after the fighting began.
Since 2004, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has operated a travel advisory system to protect citizens overseas.
The system ranks risk from level 1 to 4. Level 3, a Red Alert, recommends departure. Level 4, a Black Alert, prohibits travel.
The ministry recently held safety briefings with companies operating in Iraq and urged them to prioritize the safety of remaining staff.
A Foreign Ministry official said South Koreans in Lebanon are departing gradually on commercial flights, and that the number of nationals remaining — about 120 — has not changed significantly.
Earlier, South Korea’s ambassador to Lebanon, Jeon Gyu-seok, appealed directly to nationals, saying the embassy had been contacting people and asking them to temporarily leave Lebanon. He urged full cooperation to ensure their safety and to ease family concerns.
Separately, the government is consulting with Iran and other countries to secure safe passage for South Korean vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
A Foreign Ministry official said Seoul is exploring measures to protect its citizens and to safeguard energy shipping lanes, and is communicating with multiple parties, including Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime chokepoint that handles more than 20% of global oil shipments. The tanker-accessible channels lie entirely within Iranian territorial waters.
If a blockade persists, it could trigger an energy crisis, placing pressure on Seoul and the international community to respond.
This is Mina Kim with Yonhap News TV.
[Video editing: Kim Kyung-mi]
[Graphics: Jo Se-hee]
[News Review]
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Mina Kim (goldmina@yna.co.kr)
