[News Today] S.Koreans in Iran evacuate by land

[LEAD]
Amid escalating airstrikes between Israel and Iran, Korean nationals near the area are hurriedly evacuating. With airports closed, South Korea sent a Rapid Response Team. In Iran, thirty people, including Korean nationals and their families, escaped by land across the border.

[REPORT]
A bus carrying Korean nationals residing in Iran runs toward Turkmenistan.

Eighteen South Koreans and their two Iranian relatives departed from Tehran on Tuesday and passed through the border checkpoint on Thursday morning, more than 30 hours after leaving the Iranian capital.

They had been stranded as all major airports in Iran were closed off.

Yoon Joo-seok / Ministry of Foreign Affairs
We evacuated S.Korean nationals by land as a preemptive measure to protect them.

The evacuation route was twice as long as usual, spanning 1,200 km.

The evacuees were escorted by the local embassy staff to avoid heavily congested roads leading to the border. Their bus was trailed by a spare bus to prepare for technical failures.

Koreans residing in Israel have also evacuated to the neighboring country of Jordan.

They are staying at the houses of local Koreans in Amman, as all lodging facilities near the border are already filled with refugees.

Koreans who are still in Jerusalem, where air raid sirens can be heard day and night, continue to live in anxiety.

Hwang Sung-hoon/ S.Korean national residing in Israel
Missiles flew in all of a sudden today. We received an alert telling us to stay close to nearby shelters. It happens even at night when we're asleep.

They hide in air raid shelters numerous times a day to stay safe.

Hwang Sung-hoon / S.Korean national residing in Israel
I saw sparks from missiles. Sometimes I can feel the windows and doors shake.

Level 3 travel alert is in effect for the country of Iran and select areas in Israel.

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