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Koreans evacuating from Iran as U.S.-Israeli strikes widen

Published: 03 Mar. 2026, 18:51

Debris and damage remain in Tehran after a strike on a police station during the ongoing joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign on March 2. [AP/YONHAP]

Korean nationals began evacuating from Iran by land amid the escalating conflict following U.S. and Israeli military strikes, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday.

An unspecified number of Koreans and their foreign family members were en route to a safe location in a third country to seek shelter, the ministry said without providing further details.

The evacuation comes after the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran escalate into a wider regional conflict, with neighboring countries like Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon joining the fray alongside their respective allies.

Among those evacuated were the Korean coach of the Iranian women's national team, Lee Do-hee, and Lee Ki-je, a Korean defender playing for Iran's Mes Rafsanjan FC.

Around 60 Korean nationals are currently residing in Iran.

The government is not considering pulling out embassy personnel at this stage, a ministry official said.

"We will need to see whether the situation persist and take responsibility for evacuating our citizens until the end. These are the top priorities," the official said.

A government rapid response team has been dispatched to Turkmenistan to provide support for the evacuees.

Yonhap