Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Ninety-seven Korean people residing in Lebanon will arrive in Korea on Saturday, October 5, aboard a military aircraft (KC-330) provided by the government.

As Koreans had faced difficulties departing on civilian flights due to the rapidly deteriorating situation in the Middle East amid the military conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, President Yoon Suk Yeol held an emergency economic and security meeting on Wednesday, October 2, where he ordered an immediate mobilization of military assets to ensure the safe return home of Korean nationals.

The Defense Ministry and Foreign Affairs Ministry dispatched a military transport aircraft and the Rapid Response Team to Lebanon to support the safe evacuation of Korean nationals.

The military aircraft departed Korea on Thursday, October 3, the day after the order was given, and arrived in Beirut, Lebanon, on the morning of Friday, October 4. The plane departed from Beirut in the afternoon of the same day. It has now entered the Korea Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) and will land at the Seoul Air Base shortly.

The government will closely monitor developments in the Middle East and take various measures to ensure the safety of Korean people in the region, including Lebanon.