▲ This undated file photo, provided by Cheong Wa Dae, shows President Lee Jae Myung at his office in Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Lee-Mideast evacuation

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

By Yi Wonju

SEOUL, March 18 (Yonhap) -- 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 Wednesday, with the U.S.-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.

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