In a recent evacuation operation, eleven South Korean nationals and one foreign spouse were safely transported from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to Tokyo, Japan, via a charter flight arranged by Japanese authorities. The flight, which departed on October 10 and landed in Tokyo the following afternoon, was a part of collaborative evacuation efforts based on a memorandum of understanding about the protection of citizens abroad between the South Korean Foreign Ministry and the Japanese Foreign Ministry, emphasizing the close cooperation between the two nations in crisis situations.

The ongoing situation in the Middle East has led many travelers and expatriates to seek safe passage to Saudi Arabia, where flights are still operational. In light of this, the South Korean government has dispatched a rapid response team to Riyadh to assist its citizens and ensure their safe return. This team is led by Lee Jae-woong, a former spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, and includes six members from both the Foreign Ministry and the National Police Agency, reflecting the urgency and importance of the mission.

Additionally, the rapid response team aims to help South Koreans currently stranded in neighboring countries such as Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain as air travel has been disrupted due to airspace closures. Recently, South Korean citizens were transported to Saudi Arabia from Kuwait and Iraq with the support of respective South Korean embassies, highlighting the broader operational efforts undertaken by the South Korean government to ensure the safety and repatriation of its citizens during this critical period.