(2nd LD) Chartered plane to bring home S. Koreans from UAE on Sunday: ministry

▲ This screenshot from a social media channel of Etihad Airways shows a company plane. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ ▲Foreign Minister Cho Hyun (R) holds a joint meeting held with 13 overseas diplomatic missions on March 7, 2026, to review measures to protect South Korean nationals amid rising tensions in the Middle East. (Yonhap)

(2nd LD) foreign ministry-Middle East evacuation

(2nd LD) Chartered plane to bring home S. Koreans from UAE on Sunday: ministry

(ATTN: ADDS minister's phone talks in last 2 paras)

SEOUL, March 7 (Yonhap) -- A chartered plane to evacuate South Koreans from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will take off this weekend amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, the foreign ministry said Saturday.

The ministry said it is arranging a 290-seat Etihad Airways chartered flight, set to depart from Abu Dhabi at noon on Sunday (local time).

Starting early Saturday, the South Korean Embassy in the UAE will receive applications from South Korean nationals wishing to board the plane, with priority given to critically ill patients, people with severe disabilities, pregnant women, the elderly and infants.

The planned departure comes as Seoul seeks 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.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun vowed all-out efforts to ensure that every South Korean who wishes to return home can do so safely as he held a joint meeting with overseas diplomatic missions based in the Middle East.

He also instructed officials to "prepare thoroughly for any possible challenges and uncertainties" to ensure the safety of South Korean nationals.

Meanwhile, Cho held telephone talks with his Bahraini counterpart, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, and asked for Bahrain's cooperation in helping Korean nationals there return to South Korea in a swift and safe manner, according to the ministry.

He also expressed sympathy to Bahrain, which has suffered large-scale damage to infrastructure, including refinery facilities, due to Iranian attacks.

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