South Korean premier says situation in Middle East 'very fluid,’ as Seoul mobilizes to protect nationals

By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) - South Korea's Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said Tuesday that the situation in the Middle East is "very fluid," as Seoul is mobilizing resources to protect its nationals, according to local media.

Speaking at a Cabinet meeting, Kim described the regional situation as “very fluid” amid the ongoing US-Israeli attacks on Iran and subsequent military reactions across the region, Yonhap News reported.

"The situation in the Middle East is very fluid," Kim said, adding: "The government is responding by fully mobilizing its capabilities across agencies with the safety and protection of overseas nationals as our top priority."

Kim urged citizens to remain calm and continue daily life with confidence in the government’s response.

Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina told the meeting that there have been no confirmed South Korean casualties so far.

Since Saturday, the US-Israeli offensive has killed several senior Iranian officials, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting US-linked sites in Gulf countries, resulting in several deaths. Six US service members have been killed and several others seriously wounded.

At least five people from Asian nations have been killed during Tehran’s retaliatory attacks on the US assets in the regional countries, while thousands have been either evacuated or are in the process of being shifted out of the conflict zones.

According to the Iranian Red Crescent, the death toll from the US-Israeli airstrikes since Saturday has climbed to 555.