(LEAD) 372 S. Koreans return from Dubai on 1st direct flight since Middle East crisis

▲ A family embraces at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on March 6, 2026, after hundreds of South Koreans returned from Dubai amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. (Yonhap)

▲ A family embraces at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on March 6, 2026, after hundreds of South Koreans returned from Dubai amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) S Koreans-Middle East

(LEAD) 372 S. Koreans return from Dubai on 1st direct flight since Middle East crisis

(ATTN: UPDATES with passengers' remarks; CHANGES, ADDS photo)

SEOUL, March 6 (Yonhap) -- More than 370 South Koreans returned home Friday aboard the first direct flight from Dubai since last week's U.S.-Israeli air strikes on Iran, according to airport officials.

The Emirates flight arrived at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, around 8:25 p.m., carrying 422 passengers, including 372 South Koreans, the officials said.

It was the first direct commercial flight to head for Incheon from the United Arab Emirates (UAE)'s Dubai since the war on Iran began last weekend.

The government earlier said it had consulted with the UAE government to enable the safe return of South Koreans from the Middle East on direct flights.

Around 18,000 South Koreans are currently believed to be in 14 Middle Eastern nations, including 4,900 short-term travelers, of whom 3,500 are stranded due to canceled flights, according to the government.

Returning travelers embraced with family members at the airport, with some wiping tears of relief following days of uncertainty.

"I'd completely given up, but I'm so relieved I was able to return," said Lee Gyeong-nam, 66, who said he had traveled to Dubai as a tourist when a missile flew over his head last Saturday. "There was debris, and I was initially excited because I thought they were fireworks, but then it made a loud bang."

Others also told similar stories of hearing loud bangs from drone interceptions and bombing.

The chaos made it difficult to know for sure that a direct flight ticket would guarantee their return home, said 53-year-old Yoo Eun-sang.

"I kept searching for connecting flights because there weren't any direct flights, and bought tickets for flights with layovers in Taipei and Hanoi, but a direct flight ticket suddenly appeared, so I bought it at 10 p.m.," he said.

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