Military aircraft evacuating S. Koreans in Lebanon returns home

A South Korean military aircraft evacuating Korean nationals and their families from Lebanon returned home Saturday, as Israel intensifies ground operations against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah inside Lebanon, the South Korean government said Saturday.

A total of 96 South Korean nationals and one foreign family member who had been residing in Lebanon arrived at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, at 12:50 p.m. local time aboard a South Korean Air Force KC-330 Cygnus transport aircraft, according to a joint statement from the Foreign and Defense Ministries.

Around 130 South Korean nationals, excluding embassy staff, had been residing in Lebanon, with none located in the Israel-Lebanon border region, where Seoul has imposed a travel ban since August. The remainder chose not to take the military plane.

In recognition of the urgent situation, President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered the immediate deployment of military aircraft Wednesday to facilitate the evacuation of South Koreans from Lebanon during an emergency meeting on the crisis in the Middle East.

Koreans have faced difficulty leaving Lebanon on commercial flights, as the security situation in the Middle East deteriorated rapidly, according to statements from both ministries.

In response, the Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry swiftly deployed the military transport aircraft and a rapid response team to Lebanon to facilitate the safe return of South Korean nationals, the two ministries said.

The KC-330 Cygnus departed South Korea for Lebanon Thursday, arriving in Beirut on Friday morning, Lebanese time. The military aircraft then departed from Lebanon later the same day.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul sent a direct message to his Lebanese counterpart, Abdallah Bou Habib, requesting the Lebanese government's cooperation in ensuring the safe return of Korean nationals, the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said Saturday, without specifying when the message was sent. Habib acknowledged the request and expressed his support.

"Our government will continue to closely monitor the situation in the Middle East, including Lebanon, and will keep devising safety measures to ensure the safety of our nationals residing in the region," the joint statement issued Saturday read.

A senior Foreign Ministry official stated during a press briefing, which was under embargo until Saturday, that Koreans in Lebanon were informed about the evacuation operation Wednesday.

The South Korean government has not yet considered evacuating nationals from Iran or Israel. The official explained that most flights are operating at normal levels in both countries, despite some cancellations and suspensions.

As of Wednesday, around 110 South Korean nationals were living in Iran, while around 480 South Koreans were residing in Israel.

This is not the first time the South Korean government has deployed military transport aircraft to evacuate its citizens from countries affected by war and conflict.

The KC-330 Cygnus previously executed "Operation Miracle," bringing 400 Afghans fleeing the Taliban-controlled nation to Korea in August 2021. Additionally, in October 2023, a KC-330 Cygnus was sent to evacuate South Korean nationals from Israel, and in April 2023, the same aircraft was utilized to rescue citizens from war-torn Sudan.

The Defense Ministry announced Saturday that it had deployed two military transport aircraft -- the KC-330 and C-130J Super Hercules -- as part of its contingency plans for potential emergencies. However, the C-130J was not mobilized during recent operations in Lebanon.

The KC-330, capable of carrying up to 300 passengers over a range of 15,320 kilometers, is designed for rapid, long-distance evacuations. Meanwhile, the C-130J Super Hercules, suited for operations on short runways and challenging terrains, can carry about 30 passengers over 5,200 kilometers, making it ideal for missions where standard airport access is restricted.