Korea strongly advises nationals in Lebanon to leave as Israel ramps up ground attacks
Firefighters and people gather at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's Bashoura neighborhood, Wednesday. AFP-Yonhap
The foreign ministry on Wednesday strongly advised Koreans remaining in Lebanon to leave the Middle Eastern country aboard available flights, as the security situation is worsening with Israel ramping up ground attacks in the southern region.
The Korean Embassy in Lebanon has strongly advised its nationals there to leave as soon as they can secure flights out, as Lebanon's airspace remains open for now, the foreign ministry said.
About 120 Koreans remain in Lebanon.
Korean Ambassador to Lebanon Geon Gyu-suk posted a message on the embassy's website urging nationals to leave, warning that choosing to stay could put their lives at risk.
The embassy is contacting all Korean nationals in Lebanon to advise them to leave and providing information on available flights.
"We again urge our nationals in Lebanon to depart promptly on available commercial flights, taking into account the worsening security situation following the deployment of Israeli ground forces to southern Lebanon," the ministry said.
Korea has placed a travel ban on southern parts of Lebanon bordering Israel, while the rest of the country is under a Level 3 travel advisory urging citizens to leave.