SEOUL-- President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday instructed aides to continue to make efforts for the safe evacuation of Korean nationals in Ukraine.

A total of 64 Korean nationals remain in Ukraine, and South Korean diplomats are trying to persuade them to leave the country, as the situation worsened after Russian President Vladimir Putin's order to send his troops to separatist regions of Ukraine.

Moon ordered the government to continue efforts to help the remaining Korean nationals safely leave Ukraine, according to presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee.

Moon also ordered government ministries to cooperate to support the safe evacuation of Korean nationals there, Park said.

In line with Moon's order, Kim Wan-joong, deputy foreign minister for overseas Koreans and consular affairs, said Seoul's diplomatic staff will remain in Ukraine until their evacuation mission is complete.

"As our citizens are being evacuated, diplomats plan to stay on the ground until their mission is accomplished," Kim said in a radio interview with KBS, a local public broadcaster.

He added "all available action plans" are in place to ensure citizens can leave Ukraine safely in the event of an emergency.

With the security situation worsening in Ukraine, Moon held a National Security Council meeting Tuesday.

During the meeting, Moon said Ukraine's sovereignty must be respected and South Korea will join efforts for a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

"Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected," Moon said. "Countries around the world must come together and work for a swift and peaceful resolution to the situation in Ukraine. South Korea will actively participate in these efforts as a responsible member of the international community."

Source: Yonhap News Agency