South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said no Korean nationals in Iran or Israel have been reported injured or harmed as of 9 p.m. on the 28th.
The ministry activated its Overseas Korean Protection Task Force in response to the current Middle East situation. Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jin-a chaired a joint headquarters-embassy situation assessment meeting with the Korean embassies in Iran and Israel, along with diplomatic missions in neighboring countries including Lebanon, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, and Turkmenistan. The meeting assessed the current situation and reviewed safety measures for Korean residents.
"Tensions in the Middle East are rapidly escalating due to today's attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran and Iran's retaliatory strikes," Vice Minister Kim said. "In accordance with President Lee Jae-myung's directive to prioritize the safety of our citizens abroad, I urge all missions to thoroughly implement the safety measures we have prepared through close coordination between headquarters and relevant embassies."
Kim emphasized that given the current situation's widespread impact across multiple countries in the region, not only the embassies in Iran and Israel but also nearby diplomatic missions must maintain close communication and respond in a coordinated manner.
The Korean embassies in Iran and Israel have issued safety notices to local Korean residents immediately following the airstrikes and are confirming their safety through emergency contact networks. Other diplomatic missions in the Middle East region are also closely monitoring the rapidly changing situation and taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety of Korean nationals, the ministry said.
The Foreign Ministry said it will continue to closely monitor developments in the Middle East and take necessary measures to ensure the safety of Korean citizens, including preparing evacuation plans for emergencies.