The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on the 28th that no cases of South Korean casualties in Iran or Israel have been received or identified so far.
That afternoon, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs activated the task force for the protection of overseas Koreans, and, under the chair of Second Vice Minister Kim Jin-a, held a joint headquarters-mission situation review meeting to assess the situation on the ground in the Middle East and safety measures for Korean residents.
The meeting included not only the embassies in Iran and Israel, but also missions in Lebanon, the United States, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, and Turkmenistan. In preparation for the possibility that the fallout from this situation could spread across the Middle East beyond Iran and Israel, the response posture was reviewed together with nearby missions.
At the meeting, the Vice Minister said, "Tensions in the Middle East are rising rapidly," and asked, "Please thoroughly implement the safety measures for Korean residents that headquarters and the relevant missions have prepared through close coordination."
The Vice Minister, in particular, viewed that this situation could have a broad impact across many countries in the region, and stressed that, in addition to the embassies in Iran and Israel, nearby missions should communicate closely and respond in an integrated manner.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the embassies in Iran and Israel disseminated safety notices to Korean residents on the ground immediately after the airstrikes and are confirming their safety through emergency contact networks. It added that other missions in the Middle East are also closely monitoring local conditions and doing their utmost to ensure the safety of citizens.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it will continue to keep a close watch on developments in the Middle East and take necessary steps to ensure the safety of our nationals, including preparing evacuation plans if needed.