Prime Minister Kim Minseok on December 9 called for the safety of overseas Koreans, stating, "When it comes to these matters, I believe the government should spare no effort or budget."
Prime Minister Kim Minseok is giving a speech at the Overseas Koreans Protection Review Meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Comprehensive Situation Room in Jongno-gu, Seoul on December 9, 2025. Photo by Yonhap News
That afternoon, during his visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Comprehensive Situation Room at the annex of the Government Complex Seoul, Prime Minister Kim said, "I hope the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and overseas missions will make every effort to protect the lives and safety of overseas Koreans in close cooperation with relevant ministries." He continued, "If necessary, please ensure the allocation of related personnel and budget," adding, "You may be aware that President Lee Jaemyung has also emphasized this point multiple times at Cabinet meetings."
Prime Minister Kim further noted, "Various risk factors are present around the world, and there are unpredictable risks and uncertainties ranging from war, kidnapping, terrorism, transnational crime, to natural disasters." He urged, "I hope the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and overseas missions will take the lead in proactively assessing risk factors with consideration for their unique circumstances, and in preparing contingency response plans in advance, such as securing cooperation with neighboring countries and available resources."
He particularly emphasized, "Cooperation among relevant ministries is more important than anything else when it comes to the safety of overseas Koreans," and added, "It is crucial for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take the lead in predicting and sharing risk situations with related ministries, and to proactively review the cooperation system in advance."
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