97 Koreans and family members in Lebanon return home soon by military transport plane

[Anchor]
Amid the recent rapid deterioration of the situation in the Middle East, 97 people, including South Koreans and their families, who were staying in Lebanon, will soon return home by government-provided military transport planes.

The government's injection of the transport plane comes after President Yoon ordered the immediate injection of military assets for the safe withdrawal of our people on the 2nd.

I'm connecting with the reporter. Reporter Jo Suhyun!

A military transport plane carrying overseas nationals in Lebanon will arrive in Korea today?

[Reporter]
Yes, the military transport plane carrying 97 people, including 96 Koreans and their families, has entered the Korea Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ).

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense said they will land at Seongnam Seoul Airport soon.

Earlier, President Yoon Suk Yeol held an emergency economic and security meeting on the 2nd and ordered the immediate input of military assets for the safe withdrawal of our people.

As a result, the government sent a quick response team to Lebanon a day later, headed by the Foreign Ministry's Consular Security Administration's review officer, along with a military transport plane.The

military transport plane arrived in Beirut on the morning of the 4th local time and left for Korea in the afternoon of the same day after carrying our people.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol sent a text message directly to Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Rasheed Bu-Khabib, asking for the Lebanese government's cooperation for a safe return.

Since the withdrawal, more than 30 Koreans remain in Lebanon, and more than 480 people are staying in Israel.

Most are known as missionaries or long-term residents who have been engaged in local livelihoods for a long time.

Since July, the government has strongly urged South Koreans who have been staying in Lebanon and Israel to leave the country on available flights and ships as soon as possible.

However, after the recent ground war between Israel and Lebanon began, it became difficult to leave Lebanon by private flight, and the government decided to deploy military transport planes in consideration of this situation and the withdrawal trend of other countries such as the UK.

The government continues to strongly advise overseas Koreans who remain there to leave the country, but it cannot be enforced.

The government emphasized that it will continue to closely monitor the situation in the Middle East and take various safety measures to ensure the safety of our people staying in the Middle East.

I'm Jo Suhyun of YTN in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.