Majority of Koreans who traveled to Israel return

Around 140 of the roughly 180 Korean nationals who traveled to Israel for a religious event on Aug. 25 have returned amid escalating tensions.

Israelis walk past a national flag at the Dung Gate of the Old City of Jerusalem, which leads to the southern wall of the Temple Mount and the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Thursday. [UPI/YONHAP]

A majority of the approximately 180 Koreans who entered Israel last weekend for a religious event have left the country amid escalating regional tensions, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday.

According to the ministry, around 140 Korean nationals who arrived in Israel on Aug. 25 for a religious group's event departed on Thursday. The ministry urged the remaining participants to "leave the country as soon as possible."

The entry comes as Korea has placed most parts of Israel and Lebanon under a Level 3 travel alert, advising citizens to depart these countries following the escalating armed conflict between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah.

A Level 4 travel ban, the highest on Korea's four-level travel warning system, has been issued for the northern border region of Israel and southern Lebanon, covering areas approximately 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) and 5 kilometers from the Blue Line, respectively.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]