[US-Iran Airstrikes] "17,000 Koreans in Targeted Middle East Countries... No Reported Casualties So Far"

Jina Kim, the Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated on March 2, "Currently, approximately 17,000 South Korean nationals are residing in about 10 Middle Eastern countries that have become targets of attacks," adding, "As of now, there have been no reported casualties among South Korean nationals."

Jina Kim, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is briefing after concluding the "Emergency Interdepartmental Meeting on Middle East Situation Assessment" at the Joint Briefing Room of the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 2nd. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Vice Minister Kim made these remarks during a joint briefing following the Emergency Interagency Meeting on the Middle East Situation Assessment, which was chaired by Prime Minister Minseok Kim at the Government Seoul Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul. She explained, "The figure of around 17,000 refers mainly to long-term residents, and the actual number could be higher, as there may also be short-term tourists and transit passengers."

She added, "Since the current situation is affecting not only Iran and Israel but the entire Middle East region, we will devise measures to ensure the prompt return of not just Korean expatriates but also short-term residents."

She went on to say, "We are doing our utmost to ensure the safety of our nationals and assist with their safe return, taking into account both the possibility that the crisis may be prolonged and that instability may continue to escalate."

The United States and Israel began attacking Iran on February 28, and Iran has since continued its attacks not only on Israel but also on countries in the region that host U.S. military bases.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.