Prime Minister Kim: "Protecting the safety of our people and overseas Koreans is the top priority" as Middle East tensions peak

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[Financial News] Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea Kim Min-seok on the 1st said he views the recent peak in military tensions in the Middle East as extremely grave. He ordered that, to safeguard national security and stabilize the national economy, "the safety of our people and the protection of overseas Koreans must be treated as the highest priority."
\r\nOn this day, in an emergency directive regarding the situation in the Middle East, Prime Minister Kim stated, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must continuously verify the whereabouts and safety of our nationals staying in the Middle East and neighboring countries, and swiftly strengthen public guidance in line with any changes in the crisis situation."
Prime Minister Kim instructed, "Operate the diplomatic and security crisis-response system around the clock, and comprehensively analyze all relevant information and developments while reinforcing readiness." He continued, "To this end, diplomatic and security-related ministries should institutionalize regular situation-assessment meetings so they can evaluate and share risk factors from security and military perspectives."
In addition, he ordered, "Prepare comprehensive countermeasures against a sharp rise in international oil prices and increased volatility in foreign exchange and financial markets." He added, "The Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Financial Services Commission and others must immediately activate monitoring systems for oil prices, exchange rates and stock markets, and preemptively prepare market-stabilization measures and financial policy tools."
Prime Minister Kim also said, "Check the stability of energy supply and the risks to logistics and supply chains," and went on, "The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) should review the current status of energy supplies such as crude oil and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), and work to minimize the impact on domestic industries and households."
He further emphasized, "Provide information to the public swiftly and accurately," adding, "To prevent excessive anxiety from spreading, the government will alleviate public concern by disclosing fact-based information."
In this context, Prime Minister Kim plans to convene an emergency meeting of relevant ministers on the Middle East situation today, where he will receive reports on diplomatic and security developments and their potential impact on the domestic economy, and discuss the direction of the government’s response.
The government intends to prepare for all possible scenarios and will mobilize all available capabilities across the government in its response.
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syj@fnnews.com Reporter Seo Young-jun Reporter