NewKerala.com

South Korea's Lee Thanks Japan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia for Citizen Evacuation Flights

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has sent letters of gratitude to the leaders of Japan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia for their assistance in evacuating South Korean nationals from the Middle East. The cooperation included Japanese chartered flights, a Qatari special flight, and South Korea's first military airlift from the region, which also transported Japanese citizens. Lee emphasized that the mutual aid has strengthened bilateral friendships and trust between the nations. The evacuations come amid regional instability following the US-Israel war with Iran.

Key Points: S. Korea's Lee Thanks Japan, Qatar, Saudi for Evacuation Help

  • Gratitude for evacuation cooperation
  • First S. Korean military airlift in this conflict
  • 16 evacuees to Tokyo on Japanese flights
  • 322 South Koreans flown from Qatar
  • 204 nationals brought home from Saudi Arabia
2 min read

Lee thanks Japan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia for support in evacuating South Koreans from Middle East

President Lee Jae Myung sends letters thanking leaders of Japan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia for cooperation in evacuating South Koreans from the Middle East.

"The friendship between the two countries has been further strengthened through this cooperation. - Lee Jae Myung"

Seoul, March 18

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has sent letters to the leaders of Japan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to express his gratitude for their cooperation in evacuating South Korean nationals from the Middle East, Cheong Wa Dae said on Wednesday, with the US-Israel war with Iran destabilizing the region.

In a letter to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi the previous day, Lee expressed his appreciation for Japan's assistance in evacuating 16 South Koreans and their family members of other nationalities to Tokyo on Japanese chartered flights last Wednesday and Friday.

Lee also praised the close bilateral coordination between the two countries as Japanese nationals were transported from Saudi Arabia to South Korea on a South Korean military aircraft, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said.

"The friendship between the two countries has been further strengthened through this cooperation," Lee was quoted as saying.

"I hope this will serve as an opportunity to further deepen the friendship and trust between our people, and we will continue to work closely together to protect the lives and safety of our citizens."

In a letter to Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Lee expressed his gratitude for Qatar's assistance in arranging a special flight that evacuated 322 South Koreans from the Gulf nation last Monday.

Lee also sent a letter to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, thanking him for helping safely bring home 204 nationals from Riyadh over the weekend. It was South Korea's first airlift evacuation using a military plane since the conflict began in the Middle East late last month, Yonhap news agency reported.

Earlier, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi had also expressed gratitude for the evacuation of Japanese nationals stranded in the Middle East via a South Korean military transport aircraft.

On March 15, Takaichi had posted on social media X: "A South Korean military transport aircraft that departed from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, shortly before arrived in Seoul carrying Japanese nationals. I sincerely thank the South Korean government and military officials."

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
South Korea and Japan cooperating? That's surprising given their history, but good for them. Safety of citizens should always come first. Hope our MEA is watching and has robust plans for Operation Rahat-type missions if needed again. 🙏
A
Aman W
The real credit goes to Qatar and Saudi Arabia for facilitating. Gulf nations often play this crucial role. We have excellent relations with them, which is a big relief for millions of Indians working there. This news highlights the importance of those ties.
S
Sarah B
While the cooperation is commendable, the article feels like a diplomatic press release. It would be more meaningful to hear from the evacuated citizens themselves about the ground reality and challenges. Just a thought.
V
Vikram M
Using military aircraft for evacuation is standard protocol. India has done this brilliantly in the past from Yemen, Ukraine etc. This shows every government's primary duty is towards its people abroad. Jai Hind!
K
Karthik V
The numbers are quite small (16, 322, 204). South Korea's diaspora in the Middle East must be limited. Imagine evacuating lakhs of people like India might have to! Huge logistical challenge. Our authorities need to be on constant alert.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50