Seoul seeks to minimize fallout from US strike on Iran
The presidential office ordered ministries to prioritize the protection of South Korean nationals and to minimize potential security and economic fallout from the US military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
South Korean National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac convened an emergency meeting at noon Sunday, hours after the US military bombed three nuclear facilities in Iran, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said during a televised briefing.
'At today's meeting, discussions focused on the impact of the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities — which follows the Israel-Iran conflict — on our security and economy, while also accurately assessing the current situation,' Kang said.
'(National Security Office) Director Wi Sung-rak emphasized that, above all, it is important to protect the lives and safety of our nationals and to ensure the stable continuity of daily life," he added.
According to Kang, Wi also 'called on relevant ministries to maintain close communication and cooperation to minimize the impact that the recent series of developments in the Middle East may have on the security and economic situation of the Korean Peninsula."
Kang underscored that 'the discussions spearheaded by the presidential office will continue, closely monitoring developments related to the current situation and taking into account potential changes in circumstances.'
The emergency meeting was also attended by first deputy National Security Adviser Kim Hyun-jong, second deputy adviser Lim Woong-soon, and third deputy adviser Oh Hyun-joo, as well as Senior Presidential Secretary for Economic Growth Ha Joon-kyung, among others.
Separately, South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy also convened an emergency meeting Sunday to assess the impact of the US airstrike on domestic energy, trade, and supply chains.
Second Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Choe Nam-ho was set to preside over a comprehensive situation assessment meeting at around 3 p.m. in Seoul.
The meeting was held amid growing concerns over possible disruptions to crude oil and liquefied natural gas or LNG imports, as well as the operational status of tankers navigating waters near the Strait of Hormuz — a vital chokepoint for both South Korean and global energy shipments.
According to a database provided by the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, the Strait of Hormuz accounts for around 35 percent of the world's crude oil shipments and 33 percent of global LNG shipments.
Notably, 99 percent of Middle East-produced crude oil bound for South Korea passes through this strait, according to the KOTRA.
As of Saturday, a total of 56 South Korean nationals and their Iranian family members had fled Iran and entered Turkmenistan with the assistance of the Foreign Ministry in Seoul and South Korean embassies in Tehran and Ashgabat. They will either return to South Korea or relocate to a third country, according to the Foreign Ministry.
Among them were 52 South Koreans and 4 Iranians.
As of June 13, when the airstrike exchange began with Israel's surprise attack on Iran, the Foreign Ministry said that around 110 South Korean nationals were staying in Iran.
Tensions escalated as US President Trump announced early Sunday that the United States had struck three Iranian nuclear sites — in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan — joining Israel's airstrikes against Iran on the 10th day of the Israel-Iran conflict.
In response to the US strikes, the Foreign Ministry said Sunday, 'Our government hopes that tensions in the region will be alleviated rapidly and will continue to participate in international efforts toward that end.'
'Our government places importance on resolving the Iranian nuclear issue from the perspective of nuclear nonproliferation and is closely monitoring developments related to the attack on nuclear facilities in Iran this morning, Korea time,' the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
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