Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung has directed the South Korean government to formulate an evacuation strategy for its citizens residing in the Middle East in response to the expanding U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.

According to Yonhap News Agency, President Lee issued this directive during an extraordinary Cabinet meeting focused on the Middle East crisis. During the meeting, Lee emphasized the importance of utilizing every available resource, including military and chartered aircraft, to ensure the safe evacuation of South Korean nationals.

He urged authorities to meticulously identify all South Koreans in the region, which includes employees, business travelers, students, and tourists, and to develop comprehensive emergency evacuation plans with multiple contingency scenarios. The meeting took place at Cheong Wa Dae, shortly after Lee's return from state visits to Singapore and the Philippines.

Lee further instructed the relevant agencies to maintain constant communication regarding the safety of South Koreans and to coordinate with allied nations to implement a rapid and secure evacuation if necessary. Additionally, he called for measures to protect South Korean vessels and their crews navigating waters near the Middle East.