Koreans in Israel flee to Jordan by bus as tensions escalate

Firefighters and rescue personnel work at a destroyed building site in Haifa, Israel, following a missile attack from Iran, Sunday (local time). Reuters-Yonhap

Korean nationals living in Israel are fleeing to neighboring Jordan by bus, as rising hostilities between Israel and Iran stoked fears for the safety of residents in the region.

According to the Korean Association in Israel, buses departed Jerusalem for the Jordanian capital Amman at 10 a.m. Monday. The overland evacuation was organized by the association in response to the closure of Israeli airspace and the suspension of operations at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport.

"The recent large-scale missile attack by Iran has created an unprecedented level of tension across Israel," the association said in a notice posted on Sunday.

The association arranged transportation from Jerusalem to the border and onward to Amman, with accommodations in Jordan provided in coordination with the local Korean community there.

Evacuees are expected to remain in Jordan for seven to 10 days before returning to Israel, the group said.

Other Korean residents in Israel are also reportedly seeking alternative evacuation routes to neighboring countries.

The evacuation follows several days of intensified aerial attacks between Israel and Iran, sparked by Israel’s surprise strike on Iran's nuclear facilities Friday. The attack reportedly killed several senior military officials and nuclear scientists.

As of Monday morning, Israeli emergency services reported that at least 14 people had been killed and nearly 400 were injured in Iranian strikes over the past three days. Iranian health authorities said Israeli attacks had killed 224 people and injured more than 1,200 in the same period.

The escalating violence has heightened anxiety among the approximately 600 Korean nationals living in Israel. An estimated 100 Koreans are also residing in Iran.

"There’s no place in Tehran, or anywhere in Iran right now, that can be considered safe. I heard there was a bomb attack this afternoon near my home," Jung Si-hoon, a Korean national who identified himself as a Ph.D. student at Tehran University, told broadcaster MBC on Monday.

Jung added that he and several other Korean students were preparing to leave by land if air routes remained closed.

Rocket trails are seen in the sky above the Israeli coastal city of Netanya amid a fresh barrage of Iranian missile attacks, Monday (local time). AFP-Yonhap

Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is supporting community-led evacuation efforts in Israel.

"The Korean Embassy in Israel is providing safety information for the evacuation route and offering necessary consular assistance at the border crossing," a ministry official said during a closed-door briefing.

The official declined to comment directly on whether the government is considering dispatching a military aircraft, only saying "all options remain under review to ensure the safety of our nationals."

So far, no injuries or damage involving Korean nationals have been reported in connection with the latest strikes, according to the ministry.

In the past, the Korean government has deployed its KC-330 Cygnus military transport aircraft for similar evacuations.

In April 2023, Korea evacuated 28 nationals from Sudan during intense fighting between rival factions, and in October 2023, 163 nationals were evacuated shortly after the Israel-Hamas conflict. October 2024 also saw 96 Korean nationals evacuated from Lebanon amid rising hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

The latest evacuation efforts in the Middle East come after the government issued a special travel advisory for parts of Israel and Iran, Friday, raising its alert level from Level 2 to Level 2.5 out of four tiers. The foreign ministry also urged Korean nationals to cancel or postpone travel to both nations, and advised those already in the region to relocate to safer areas.

The presidential office on Sunday expressed its concerns about the escalating military confrontation in the Middle East, urging all parties to exercise restraint. This followed the foreign ministry's statement following Israel strike, calling for "a swift de-escalation of tensions in the region."