S. Korea to send military aircraft to evacuate nationals from Middle East

President Yoon Suk-yeol addresses an emergency meeting on economic and security measures in response to the Middle East crisis, held at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on Wednesday. (Pool Photo via Yonhap)

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday directed the immediate dispatch of military aircraft to evacuate nationals from the Middle East as tensions escalated rapidly with intensified clashes between Israel and Iran as well as its backed militias Hezbollah and Hamas.

"The president emphasized that protecting South Korean nationals in Israel and the Middle East is of utmost importance and instructed that all necessary measures be taken," his office said in a statement issued following the emergency economic security meeting.

"In particular, he ordered the immediate deployment of military transport aircraft to evacuate our citizens and stressed the need for close cooperation with the international community to swiftly restore stability in the Middle East."

Seoul's decision to dispatch military aircraft comes as tensions in the Middle East intensify. On Tuesday, Iran fired over 180 missiles into Israel, while Israel launched a ground operation into Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah, in the early hours of the same day.

However, the presidential office withheld specific details about the evacuation operations, including the exact location and timing of the aircraft dispatch, in line with the government's customary practices mainly due to safety concerns for the military and citizens involved.

This is not the first instance of South Korea deploying military aircraft to evacuate its citizens from conflict zones. For example, in October 2023, a KC-330 Cygnus was deployed to evacuate South Korean nationals from Israel, and in April 2023, the same aircraft was used to rescue citizens from war-torn Sudan.

During Wednesday's meeting, Yoon also emphasized that all possible scenarios must be considered as the situation unfolds, given the heightened uncertainty in the Middle East.

"The president instructed the relevant ministries and agencies to maintain a 24-hour monitoring system through close cooperation," the press statement read.

"Furthermore, he urged comprehensive analysis and assessment of potential impacts and risks on the country's economy and security, including energy supply, export-import logistics and supply chains, to ensure swift and effective responses when necessary."

The meeting was attended by key ministers and top officials, including National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik and National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong, according to the South Korean presidential office.

By Ji Da-gyum(dagyumji@heraldcorp.com)