SEOUL, March 09 (AJP) - An emergency direct flight carrying South Koreans departed Doha on Monday following negotiations between the South Korean Embassy in Qatar and the Qatari government.
The Qatar Airways flight, carrying some 300 South Korean nationals, took off at approximately 3:45 p.m. (0645 GMT). According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the aircraft is scheduled to land at Incheon International Airport at 12:21 a.m. on Tuesday.
The flight was arranged as the regional airspace remains under heavy restrictions due to the ongoing war involving Iran. Qatari airspace has been operating under a limited-opening policy, primarily allowing select emergency flights to Europe.
MOFA stated that the South Korean Embassy in Qatar requested the resumption of flights to facilitate the return of its citizens. The Qatari government accepted the request, leading to the organization of this emergency departure.
The evacuation follows a similar operation in the United Arab Emirates, where both commercial and chartered flights were used to transport South Koreans who had been stranded by the sudden closure of flight paths. South Koreans in neighboring countries, including Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain, have also sought assistance as commercial travel remains highly volatile throughout the Persian Gulf.
South Korea has been coordinating with local governments across the Middle East to secure safe passage for its nationals since the escalation of hostilities in Iran led to widespread flight cancellations. Regional authorities have maintained that while most commercial corridors remain closed, humanitarian and evacuation flights are being reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
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