President Lee Jae-myung on the 3rd ordered meticulous preparations for the protection and evacuation of Korean residents in connection with the United States launching a large-scale attack on Venezuela.
The presidential office said, "This afternoon, President Lee received a report on the explosion incident in Venezuela and instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant authorities to thoroughly protect Korean residents and draw up a detailed evacuation plan in case the situation worsens, and asked them to make full preparations so that such a plan can be carried out swiftly if necessary."
It added, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to hold an emergency response meeting this evening," and "Since the outbreak of the situation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately activated the task force for the protection of overseas Koreans and, together with the local mission, is doing everything possible to ensure the safety of Korean residents."
The presidential office said that, as of the day, about 70 Korean nationals are staying in Venezuela, including about 50 in Caracas, and that no Korean casualties have been reported so far.
The Venezuelan government said in a statement the same day (local time) that the United States attacked the country, including Caracas, and declared a national state of emergency.
U.S. President Donald Trump also confirmed via his social network Truth Social that a large-scale attack was carried out against Venezuela, saying that President Maduro was arrested and transported out of Venezuela.