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| ▲ Foreign Minister Cho Hyun speaks at the National Assembly in Seoul, in this file photo taken Jan. 28, 2026. (Yonhap) |
(LEAD) FM-Middle East conflict
(LEAD) UAE commercial flights to S. Korea expected to begin Friday: FM Cho
(ATTN: ADDS details in last 3 paras)
SEOUL, March 6 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Friday the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) commercial flights to South Korea are expected to begin as early as Friday, a move that will help Korean citizens stranded in the Middle Eastern country return home.
Cho made the remarks during a parliamentary session as Seoul is taking all available steps to bring home some 3,000 nationals stranded in the UAE due to flight disruptions amid the escalating conflict between Iran and the United States.
"Last night, I spoke with the UAE foreign minister over the phone and asked that commercial flights from the UAE be allowed to fly directly to Incheon," he said. Incheon, located west of Seoul, is the main gateway to Korea.
"Air services are expected to begin as early as today," he said.
Cho said that the government is making arrangements to dispatch a chartered plane to the region to evacuate its citizens.
As many as 21,000 South Korean nationals are currently estimated to be staying across 10 Middle Eastern countries.
Seoul had considered sending chartered flights to Muscat, the capital of Oman, as major airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi faced flight restrictions due to Iran's attacks.
With the UAE's support, South Korea's flag carrier will be able to operate flights to and from the UAE to bring back the stranded nationals, Cho said.
Incheon-bound UAE flights plan to operate once a day, he added.
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