South Korea’s National Security Council convened an emergency meeting Saturday to coordinate a governmentwide response to US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Iran’s retaliatory attacks, as officials prepared for the possibility of a prolonged crisis.
Foreign and defense authorities moved to safeguard South Korean nationals and deployed troops across the Middle East.
The NSC working-level coordination meeting, attended by relevant foreign affairs and security agencies, was held at 7 p.m., Cheong Wa Dae said in a statement.
The meeting assessed developments in Iran and the broader Middle East and reviewed the safety situation of South Korean nationals in the region.
The meeting also “evaluated the impact of the current situation on South Korea’s security and economy, while reviewing the measures taken by relevant ministries and their next steps,” Cheong Wa Dae said in a statement.
The National Security Office said the results of the meeting were reported to President Lee Jae Myung and that it will continue to take necessary measures in coordination with relevant ministries.
The meeting came after Lee ordered officials to review the situation in Iran and its potential domestic impact and to prioritize the safety of South Korean nationals in Iran and neighboring countries.
As of Saturday, no South Korean casualties in Iran or Israel had been reported, according to the Foreign Ministry in Seoul.
The Foreign Ministry said it activated its task force for overseas nationals protection Saturday afternoon in response to the evolving situation in the Middle East.
Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina convened a Joint Meeting between Headquarters and Diplomatic Missions, attended by South Korea’s embassies in Iran and Israel and diplomatic missions in neighboring countries, to assess developments and review safety measures for South Korean nationals.
Missions in Lebanon, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait and Turkmenistan participated, the ministry said.
“Tensions in the Middle East are rapidly escalating due to today’s attacks on Iran by Israel and the United States and Iran’s retaliatory strikes,” Kim said. “Therefore, please thoroughly implement the safety measures for our nationals that have been prepared through close coordination between headquarters and the relevant missions, in line with the President’s instruction to prioritize the safety of our citizens in the region.”
Kim stressed that the situation could have wide-ranging repercussions across multiple countries in the region, calling not only on the embassies in Iran and Israel but also on nearby missions to stay in close communication and respond in a coordinated manner.
South Korea’s embassies in Iran and Israel said they issued safety advisories immediately after the airstrikes and are confirming the status of South Korean nationals through emergency contact networks.
Other diplomatic missions across the Middle East said they are closely monitoring rapidly changing local conditions and taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety of South Koreans.
“The Foreign Ministry will continue to closely monitor developments in the Middle East and take necessary steps to ensure the safety of our nationals, including preparing evacuation plans if needed,” the ministry said in a statement.
South Korea’s Defense Ministry and Joint Chiefs of Staff said Saturday that they had reviewed the threat environment surrounding overseas deployed units amid the escalating situation in the Middle East and confirmed that all troops remain safe.
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back ordered relevant departments to immediately check the status of overseas contingents, including the Dongmyeong Unit, which operates as part of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, and the Cheonghae Unit in the Gulf of Aden.
JCS Chairman Gen. Jin Yong-sung held a videoconference with commanders of overseas units to receive situation reports and instructed them to prioritize the safety management of deployed service members and South Korean nationals abroad.
The US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Saturday. Earlier, Israel’s defense minister said the operation was a “pre-emptive attack” following weeks of threats and tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program. In response, Iran has targeted US assets across Gulf Arab states.
dagyumji@heraldcorp.com
