Yoon orders 'thorough' safety measures for Koreans in Israel

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks on the Israel-Hamas conflict during a Cabinet meeting at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul on Tuesday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered the government Tuesday to thoroughly prepare safety measures for Korean residents and travelers in Israel amid concerns over the escalating conflict between the country and the Hamas militant group.

"As the Israel-Palestine situation is heading toward a full-scale war, I ask relevant ministries, with the Foreign Ministry taking the lead, to thoroughly prepare safety measures for Korean residents and travelers," Yoon said in a Cabinet meeting.

There are an estimated 570 Koreans living in Israel and 360 traveling.

According to Korean Air, flight KE958, which was stationed in Dubai, traveled to Tel Aviv on Monday.

The 218-seat flight is expected to take off from Tel Aviv at 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday and arrive at 6:10 a.m. on Wednesday.

The Hamas militant group launched a surprise attack on Israel Saturday, leading Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare, "We are at war."

On Sunday, the Foreign Ministry issued a travel advisory on Israel advising all Korean nationals in Israel, including tourists, to leave through to a third country as soon as possible.

No Koreans have been reported injured or killed in Israel, according to the ministry.

The Israel-Hamas war has left over 1,500 deaths, and Yoon noted there have been indiscriminate shootings and kidnappings of civilians.

"As Iran and Hezbollah support Hamas, and the United States, Britain, France and Germany support Israel's right to self-defense, the possibility that this situation may escalate into an international conflict cannot be ruled out," Yoon said.

Yoon noted that the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East could increase economic instability, noting the Korean economy's high external dependence.

"Armed conflicts and wars in the Middle East have led to a rise in international oil prices, and increased cost inflation has added to the price burden on our people," Yoon said. "As the Ukraine war and the Middle East crises overlap, external economic instability may increase."

He instructed the government to "remain alert, respond closely to external factors of instability and do its best to prevent further difficulties in people's livelihoods."

He called on relevant ministries, led by the economy minister, to "monitor domestic and international economic and financial situations in real-time and make every effort to manage risks of economic instability."

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]