SEOUL, March 4 (AJP) - About 140 South Koreans who had been staying in Iran and Israel have been evacuated to neighboring Turkmenistan and Egypt, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here said on Wednesday.
In Iran, about two dozen South Koreans split into two buses arranged by the South Korean Embassy there and left Tehran on Monday and safely arrived in neighboring Turkmenistan the following day amid escalating tensions in the Gulf region following last Saturday's U.S.-led airstrikes on the Middle Eastern country.
The evacuees included not only residents but also about 10 embassy staff members and their families, as well as some Iranian nationals who are family members of South Koreans or ethnic Koreans.
Also leaving Iran were Lee Do‑hee, head coach of Iran's women's national volleyball team, and Lee Ki‑je, a defender for Iranian professional soccer club Mes Rafsanjan FC.
According to the ministry, about 40 South Korean residents still remain in Iran. A ministry official said withdrawing the embassy is "not currently being considered," adding that the government will continue to take responsibility for evacuations while monitoring whether the situation becomes prolonged.
In Israel, where about 600 South Korean nationals including around100 short-term visitors are currently staying, some 113 people left Jerusalem and Tel Aviv on Tuesday and arrived in Egypt later that day.
Separately, two South Koreans in Bahrain and two in Iraq also evacuated to Saudi Arabia and Turkey, respectively.
Meanwhile, Kim Young-bae, a lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), on Tuesday urged the government to draw up plans to safely evacuate South Korean residents and travelers in the Middle East to neighboring countries in case the situation worsens.
"As many as 21,000 South Koreans are currently residing in some 13 countries in the Middle East. Among them, about 4,000 short-term visitors including travelers are in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates," he said.
In Iran, about two dozen South Koreans split into two buses arranged by the South Korean Embassy there and left Tehran on Monday and safely arrived in neighboring Turkmenistan the following day amid escalating tensions in the Gulf region following last Saturday's U.S.-led airstrikes on the Middle Eastern country.
The evacuees included not only residents but also about 10 embassy staff members and their families, as well as some Iranian nationals who are family members of South Koreans or ethnic Koreans.
Also leaving Iran were Lee Do‑hee, head coach of Iran's women's national volleyball team, and Lee Ki‑je, a defender for Iranian professional soccer club Mes Rafsanjan FC.
According to the ministry, about 40 South Korean residents still remain in Iran. A ministry official said withdrawing the embassy is "not currently being considered," adding that the government will continue to take responsibility for evacuations while monitoring whether the situation becomes prolonged.
In Israel, where about 600 South Korean nationals including around100 short-term visitors are currently staying, some 113 people left Jerusalem and Tel Aviv on Tuesday and arrived in Egypt later that day.
Separately, two South Koreans in Bahrain and two in Iraq also evacuated to Saudi Arabia and Turkey, respectively.
Meanwhile, Kim Young-bae, a lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), on Tuesday urged the government to draw up plans to safely evacuate South Korean residents and travelers in the Middle East to neighboring countries in case the situation worsens.
"As many as 21,000 South Koreans are currently residing in some 13 countries in the Middle East. Among them, about 4,000 short-term visitors including travelers are in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates," he said.
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