"I stayed awake for four nights in sheer terror that our hotel might be attacked. My heart was pounding so hard I could barely stand it."
Seo Jae-yong, who escaped from the United Arab Emirates on the 5th and arrived at Incheon International Airport on the 6th, told Seoul Economic Daily that "it only became real after I heard explosions in Dubai Marina Bay and saw missiles flying overhead."
Seo had been scheduled to return home on the 28th of last month, but his travel plans were thrown into complete disarray when Korean Air notified him of flight cancellations due to airspace closures. After securing a hard-to-find bus to travel overland to Oman, he turned back toward Dubai from a desert rest stop upon hearing that a route to Taipei had opened at Dubai airport. His family of four, including two children, finally crossed to safety only after boarding a 3:40 a.m. flight.
Travelers who escaped the Middle East unanimously expressed terror at the hair-trigger crisis they witnessed firsthand. High school student Yoo Se-i, 18, who had gone to Dubai for a family trip and was originally scheduled to return on the 1st, let out a deep sigh of relief as she emerged through the arrival gate at Incheon International Airport.
"I saw with my own eyes the first missile that struck Dubai while my parents, younger sister and I were on a yacht tour," Yoo said. "It was my first time seeing shells and missiles exploding, so I was extremely worried."
Kim, 75, who had visited her daughter living in Dubai and returned alone, said, "My daughter says she and my grandchildren are fine, but I don't feel good coming back to Korea by myself. Whenever we heard bombing sounds or voices telling us to take cover, we would scramble away from the windows and flee toward the bathroom."
Many sailors are also stranded near the Strait of Hormuz, which has been blocked due to the war between the U.S., Israel and Iran. According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, 26 Korean vessels were identified as remaining inside the Strait of Hormuz as of that day. Most nearby vessels have halted movement following instructions from Vessel Traffic Service centers and shipowners. Common measures include "dredging"—shutting off engines in the Strait of Oman and drifting with the current—or dropping anchor at designated anchorages. Ships are reported to generally have food supplies stocked for at least one month. However, many in the shipping industry say they cannot rule out the possibility that mother ships bringing additional food supplies from nearby Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Iraq or Oman could come under direct attack.
A source at a global shipping company familiar with local conditions said, "They say cruise missile sounds are heard every night and flashes are observed. If shipowners or companies decide to force passage, crew anxiety will reach extreme levels."
Direct flights connecting Dubai and Incheon resumed operations that day for the first time since the Middle East crisis erupted. The government is also reviewing plans to deploy chartered aircraft and military transport planes to the UAE as early as this weekend. However, those still stranded or who barely managed to escape voiced frustration that the government response has not been proactive enough.
Travelers remaining in the Middle East say they are "in a chaotic situation where we have no choice but to gather information through chat rooms run by local Korean residents."
Seo said, "There was absolutely no government assistance when securing accommodation and flight tickets was our top priority. Unlike Japan or China, Korea had no direct flights for a while, so everyone struggled."