South Korea has issued a special travel advisory for its citizens in Israel following the recent rocket attacks by the militant group Hamas. The advisory urges South Korean nationals to leave the country if possible, and to cancel or postpone any planned trips. The advisory can be maintained for up to 90 days in cases of urgent security risks. However, the ministry stated that no harm has been reported to South Korean nationals in Israel so far.
A total of 570 South Koreans are estimated to be living or staying in Israel, with an additional 360 currently traveling in the country. Korean Air, the national flag carrier, has cancelled a flight scheduled to depart for Tel Aviv on Monday. The company plans to operate a later flight after assessing the local airport safety circumstances. The Ministry of Transportation has pledged to closely cooperate with the foreign ministry and Korean Air to ensure the safe return of South Korean nationals.
Foreign Minister Park Jin has called for measures to secure the safety of South Korean nationals and discussed these measures in a meeting with relevant officials. The situation remains tense in Israel, with Hamas launching rocket attacks on central and southern areas of the country during a major Jewish holiday. In response, Israel launched retaliatory air strikes against Hamas. This has resulted in hundreds of casualties on both sides.
It is unclear how long the special travel advisory will remain in place and what impact it will have on Korean citizens in Israel. The advisory serves as a warning to South Korean nationals about the security risks in the country and encourages them to leave if possible. South Korea joins several other countries that have issued similar advisories in light of the recent conflict between Hamas and Israel.