As armed clashes among the United States, Israel, and Iran spread across the Middle East, the government said about 17,000 Korean nationals are staying in the conflict zone and that no damage cases have been reported so far.
On the 2nd, Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jin-a said at a joint briefing after an emergency meeting of related ministries at Government Complex Seoul, "About 17,000 of our nationals are staying in around 10 Middle Eastern countries currently under attack," adding, "As far as we know, there have been no damages to our nationals so far."
She added, "The figure of about 17,000 is based mainly on long-term residents," noting, "If we include short-term tourists and transit passengers, the actual number of people staying will be higher than this."
Given that this situation is affecting the entire Middle East beyond Iran and Israel, the government has moved to draw up measures to prioritize the safety of local Korean residents and short-term stayers. In particular, it is seeking all-around support for return to Korea in case the situation drags on or instability intensifies.
The conflict began on the 28th of last month (local time) when the United States and Israel carried out airstrikes on mainland Iran. In response, Iran is escalating toward a full-scale war by striking not only Israel but also neighboring countries hosting U.S. military bases—United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman—as well as a British air base in Cyprus.
Accordingly, as of 6 p.m. on the day, the government issued a temporary special travel advisory for seven Middle Eastern countries: UAE, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. The government recommended canceling or postponing travel to the affected areas, and urged nationals staying there to move to safe areas or return home promptly.