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| ▲ This AP photo shows smoke rising from two simultaneous strikes over Tehran, Iran, on March 2, 2026. (Yonhap) |
S Koreans-Iran evacuation
S. Koreans evacuating from Iran as U.S.-Israeli strikes widen
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, March 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean nationals began evacuating from Iran by land amid the escalating conflict following U.S. and Israeli military strikes, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.
An unspecified number of South Koreans and their foreign family members were en route to a safe location in a third country to seek shelter, the ministry said without providing further details.
The evacuation came after the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran are escalating into a wider regional conflict, with neighboring countries like Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon joining the fray alongside their respective allies.
Among those evacuated were South Korean coach Lee Do-hee for the Iranian women's national team and Lee Ki-je, a South Korean defender playing for Iran's Mes Rafsanjan FC.
Around 60 South Korean nationals are currently residing in Iran.
The government is not considering pulling out embassy personnel at this stage, a ministry official said.
"We will need to see whether the situation will prolong and take responsibility for evacuating our citizens until the end. These are the top priorities," the official said.
A government rapid response team has been dispatched to provide support for the evacuees.
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