Seoul: Prime Minister Kim Min-seok convened an emergency meeting with government officials to review the situation in the Middle East following the death of Iran's supreme leader in attacks by the United States and Israel. During the meeting, Kim was briefed on the latest developments in the region and discussed response measures, his office said.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim instructed the Ministry of Finance and Economy, and the Financial Services Commission to activate monitoring systems for international oil prices, foreign exchange rates, and the stock market. He also urged the preemptive preparation of market stabilization measures and financial policy tools. Furthermore, Kim directed the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to assess the supply and demand status of key energy resources, including crude oil and liquefied natural gas, to minimize the impact on domestic industries and households.
The government plans to mobilize all available resources at the pangovernment level to prepare for every possible scenario, his office added. This meeting followed an order from President Lee Jae Myung to establish a prime minister-led emergency response system on the Middle East situation, prior to his departure for a two-nation trip to Singapore and the Philippines.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported about 60 South Koreans currently in Iran and around 600 in Israel, with no casualties reported so far. Additionally, the foreign ministry held a meeting with officials from its headquarters and overseas missions to review conditions facing South Koreans in the region and discuss measures to ensure their safety.
Kim emphasized the operation of the government's diplomatic and security crisis response system around the clock, prioritizing the safety and protection of South Korean nationals residing in the Middle East and neighboring countries. He stated, "The government will immediately dispatch a rapid response team if the situation in the Middle East worsens and will prepare transportation plans for South Korean nationals in the region."