97 Nationals Including Those Staying in Lebanon Arrive at Seoul Airport... Return Home by Military Transport Plane

Decision to Deploy Military Aircraft as Civil Flights Are Suspended

A total of 97 people, including 96 Korean nationals staying in Lebanon where Israel's ground operation against the armed group Hezbollah is underway, and one Lebanese family member, returned to Korea on the 5th aboard a military transport plane deployed by the government.

The Air Force's multipurpose aerial refueling transport aircraft KC-330 'Cygnus,' which they boarded, landed at Seongnam Seoul Airport around 12:50 PM that day.

Cygnus departed from Gimhae Airport on the 3rd carrying the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' rapid response team and military medical personnel, arrived in Beirut, Lebanon on the morning of the 4th (local time) to pick up the overseas Koreans, and returned that afternoon.

The government made a sudden decision to deploy military aircraft as civilian flights connecting Lebanon to the outside world had virtually disappeared. Currently, only Middle East Airlines (MEA), a Lebanese national carrier, is operating locally, but it is reported that even obtaining tickets is difficult.

Other countries such as Japan, the United Kingdom, and Germany are also mobilizing charter or military planes to evacuate their nationals.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol sent a direct text message to Abdallah Rashid Bou Habib, Lebanon's Foreign Minister, requesting the Lebanese government's cooperation for the safe return of Korean nationals.

Minister Bou Habib responded to Minister Cho's request by saying, "I understand well," and expressed appreciation for the Republic of Korea's efforts as a peace-loving nation to stabilize the Middle East situation, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The government also deployed the C130J 'Super Hercules' transport aircraft, capable of takeoff and landing on short runways, in case the local airport could not be used along with Cygnus, but it was reported that this was not necessary.

The ambassador to Lebanon and other diplomatic staff did not evacuate, and about 30 overseas Koreans also remained on site without evacuating this time.

The government currently has issued a Level 3 travel advisory (recommendation to leave) for Lebanon and Israel, and a Level 4 travel advisory (travel ban) for the border areas between the two countries.