South Korea seeks support from Qatar, Türkiye to evacuate nationals

South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun held urgent phone consultations with his counterparts in Qatar and Türkiye on March 9, seeking support for the safe return of South Korean nationals and ensuring stable energy supplies amid escalating regional tensions surrounding Iran.

During a call with Qatar’s Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Cho addressed Qatar’s recent announcement to suspend liquefied natural gas (LNG) production, requesting cooperation to maintain steady energy supplies to South Korea. The Qatari minister, in turn, asked for Seoul’s support regarding damage to civilian facilities in Qatar and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states resulting from attacks linked to Iran, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Cho expressed condolences for the affected civilians and infrastructure and thanked Qatar for arranging an emergency flight for South Koreans in the Middle East. A special flight carrying around 300 South Koreans departed Doha on March 9 and is scheduled to arrive in Incheon at approximately 12:21 a.m. on March 10. The South Korean foreign ministry noted that around 2,000 South Koreans remain in Qatar, while disruptions at major airports across the UAE, Qatar, and neighbouring countries have left thousands stranded.

In a separate call, Cho spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, requesting support for South Koreans traveling through Istanbul, a key evacuation route for nationals in the region. Fidan highlighted the widening conflict and described the situation as reaching a “critical turning point,” pledging close coordination with key countries to prevent further escalation.

By Sabina Mammadli