South Korea has expressed appreciation to Japan for its assistance in evacuating Korean nationals from the Middle East amid ongoing regional instability.
President Lee Jae Myung sent a letter on Tuesday to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, thanking Tokyo for its support in safely transporting South Korean citizens. According to the presidential office on Wednesday, Japan helped evacuate 12 individuals from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on March 11 and four Korean nationals from Muscat, Oman, on March 13 using government-chartered flights.
Those evacuated from Riyadh included 11 South Korean citizens and one foreign spouse of a Korean national. All individuals were transported safely to Japan with the cooperation of Japanese authorities.
In his message, Lee also noted that Japanese nationals were able to travel alongside South Koreans aboard a South Korean military transport aircraft, calling the reciprocal assistance meaningful.
The president highlighted the longstanding cooperation between the two countries in protecting their citizens abroad during crises. He referenced a bilateral memorandum of understanding signed in September 2024 on cooperation in protecting nationals in third countries, noting that the agreement played a key role in facilitating close coordination between diplomatic authorities and overseas missions during the recent evacuations.
Lee stated that the joint efforts in the Middle East have further strengthened ties between the two nations and expressed hope that such cooperation would continue to deepen mutual trust and friendship while ensuring the safety of their citizens.
cheesuk@heraldcorp.com
