"My mother traveled to Dubai alone on a package tour. Her flight was canceled and she needs to extend her hotel stay, but they won't allow it. I'm extremely worried."
As Iran launched counterstrikes near Gulf states, grounding most flights, travelers and residents stranded in the region face mounting chaos. Local Korean expatriates are actively sharing information about overland routes to neighboring countries, but fears of attacks on civilian facilities have left many hesitant to move. Some travelers, unable to extend their accommodations, are scrambling to find places to sleep while struggling to obtain reliable information.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 2nd, approximately 60 Koreans reside in Iran, while about 600 are in Israel, including some 100 short-term visitors. Roughly 17,000 Korean nationals live across 10 Middle Eastern countries—including Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates—that are within range of Iran's retaliatory airstrikes.
No injuries to Korean nationals have been reported so far, but anxiety among short-term visitors and expatriates is growing as Middle East tensions triggered by Iran continue. A Korean expatriate identified as Mr. A, who has lived in Doha, Qatar, for three years, said, "Explosions presumed to be missile interceptions have been heard continuously since the day before yesterday, both late at night and during the day." He added, "The vibrations are strong enough to rattle windows, and smoke trails from what appear to be interceptions have been spotted multiple times over the city center."
Mr. A said, "It's frustrating that the embassy and my company have only been telling us to stay home for three days now." He emphasized, "There are more Koreans in Dubai and Doha than people realize, not just in Iran and Israel. We need a plan to repatriate them as soon as airspace reopens." Some travelers and expatriates have expressed frustration over what they perceive as inadequate response from consulates and embassies.
Since Iran launched its counterstrikes, airspace over Gulf-adjacent countries has been closed. According to Incheon International Airport Corporation, 25 flights from four airlines—Korean Air, Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Qatar Airways—have been canceled between the 28th of last month and the 2nd. European and regional carriers have also suspended flights, making air travel virtually impossible. Korean Air suspended all Dubai routes through the 5th of this month. Middle Eastern carriers including Emirates and Qatar Airways have also halted operations. European airlines such as Lufthansa and British Airways have suspended or adjusted routes to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, and Tehran. According to the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority, more than 20,000 passengers are stranded at Dubai airports due to the crisis.
With air routes blocked, some travelers, short-term visitors, and concerned expatriates are seriously considering evacuation to areas beyond Iran's strike range. Information about overland travel options is being actively shared among expatriates and tourists. Routes being discussed include traveling from Qatar to Jeddah Airport in Saudi Arabia, or from Dubai to Muscat Airport in Oman, then flying to South Korea via Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand or Singapore. However, confusion has arisen among expatriates, with some warning that individual travel is risky because routes pass through remote areas with few residents and near U.S. military facilities.
The government has pledged to support expatriates and overseas Koreans as quickly as possible. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established a Consular Crisis Response Center operating around the clock and issued temporary special travel advisories for Bahrain, the UAE, Jordan, Qatar, and Kuwait. At a ministerial meeting on the Middle East situation held on the 2nd, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said, "Given the serious concerns about the safety of our nationals stranded due to flight cancellations, please ensure thorough one-on-one safety checks and repatriation guidance." He added, "I ask that you prepare evacuation operations without gaps for any contingency."