South Korean nationals evacuate Iran, Israel as gov't urges those remaining to leave

Dozens of South Koreans have been evacuated from Iran and Israel by land on buses and are currently seeking shelter in nations bordering these two foes as their military confrontation escalates.

Our foreign affairs correspondent Oh Soo-young reports.

60 South Korean nationals have been safely evacuated from Iran and Israel to surrounding countries, as Seoul authorities urge those staying behind to swiftly leave the conflict-ridden areas.

Seoul's Foreign Ministry said Friday that a total of 34 Korean citizens and their family members in Iran have crossed over to Turkmenistan as of Thursday local time.

The first group of 18 Koreans and two family members departed Tehran on Tuesday, traveling for around 30 hours, over some 12 hundred kilometers to Iran's eastern border with Turkmenistan, on a bus provided by the Korean government.

They entered Turkmenistan on Wednesday, and a second group of ten arrived the next day, followed by four more individuals.

Meanwhile, 25 Korean citizens and one Israeli family member were evacuated by bus from Israel to Jordan on Thursday.

Embassies in Iran and Israel have provided chartered buses for nationals wishing to evacuate,

while rapid response teams dispatched from Seoul's Foreign Ministry arrived in Turkmenistan and Jordan to assist with customs clearance and flight scheduling.

Roughly 460 South Korean nationals remain in Israel, and about 90 in Iran.

The government stated that it stands ready to provide additional consular support and evacuation assistance upon request.

Its travel advisories for Iran and Israel are both at level 3, which recommends Korean nationals to leave the country in question.

There have been no Korean casualties so far amid the rapid escalation of the conflict.

The Foreign Ministry has said it will continue to monitor the situation, and maintain close communication with overseas missions to ensure the safety of Korean people.

Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.