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Staff at Korean embassy in Iran given bonuses for efforts during war

Published: 22 Apr. 2026, 16:38 Updated: 22 Apr. 2026, 17:32

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Jongno District, central Seoul [NEWS1]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday awarded bonuses totaling about 100 million won ($67,677) to staff at the Korean embassy in Iran for their efforts in supporting the evacuation of Korean nationals and maintaining operations amid the Iran war.

The bonuses, distributed to 13 Korean nationals and 10 foreigners, were awarded based on individual contributions, taking into account workload and risk exposure during efforts such as supporting the evacuation of Korean nationals, regardless of rank or nationality, per the ministry.

The embassy staff in Tehran reportedly maintained normal operations after the outbreak of the war while keeping close communication with Iranian authorities. They also successfully supported the overland evacuation of Korean nationals and their Iranian family members and conducted daily safety checks on those remaining in the country.

On March 3, 24 Korean nationals in Iran were safely evacuated to Turkmenistan after departing Tehran on two buses arranged by the embassy. They stayed overnight at a transit point before crossing the border and completing entry procedures.

President Lee Jae Myung had instructed Foreign Minister Cho Hyun during a Cabinet meeting in mid-April to ensure that embassy staff in Iran were recognized and rewarded, asking whether the measure had been carried out and urging officials to “take good care of them.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK JONG-SUH [[email protected]]