This photo, provided by the foreign ministry in Seoul on June 19, 2025, shows South Koreans and their Iranian family members boarding a bus during their evacuation from Iran to Turkmenistan. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, June 19 (Korea Bizwire) — More than 40 South Korean nationals and their family members have evacuated Iran and Israel via land routes and arrived safely in neighboring countries, the foreign ministry said Thursday, amid escalating tensions between the two nations.
Eighteen South Koreans and two Iranian family members crossed the border into Turkmenistan by transportation provided by the South Korean government Tuesday morning (local time) and arrived in the capital, Ashgabat, the next day, the ministry said.
The eastern border land route chosen by the government is about 1,200 kilometers, and it takes around 16 hours to travel by bus without breaks, a ministry official said.
Another 25 South Koreans and one Israeli family member also left Israel early Thursday, the ministry said. They have passed through a border checkpoint in Jordan and are on their way to Amman.
Rapid response teams from Seoul were in Turkmenistan and Jordan, respectively, to assist with the evacuation efforts.
About 110 South Koreans had been estimated to be in Iran as of last Friday, when the Israelis initiated an attack on Iranian nuclear and military facilities. There were some 500 South Koreans in Israel.
The official also indicated that preparations are under way for an additional evacuation.
The government has been weighing options to ensure the safety of South Korean nationals in the Middle East, amid the escalating tensions following massive airstrikes between Israel and Iran.
“Given the continued exchange of military strikes between the two sides this week, growing concerns over the safety of our citizens, and the ongoing closure of Iranian airspace, we have decided to assist our nationals in evacuating Iran via land routes,” the ministry said.
The operations came as countries are closing their embassies and evacuating their citizens from the region, either to return home or relocate to nearby nations.
Earlier this week, the South Korean government also provided transportation and assistance to 23 South Korean nationals to leave Israel via a land route to Jordan.
(Yonhap)
