President Lee Sends Letters of Appreciation to Japan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia for Help with Middle East Evacuations

[Financial News] Cheong Wa Dae announced on the 18th that President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea sent letters of appreciation on the 17th to the Prime Minister of Japan, the Amir of the State of Qatar, and the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The letters thanked them for their warm consideration and practical assistance in helping Korean nationals leave dangerous areas in the Middle East and move to safe locations.
Spokesperson Kang Yu-jeong of Cheong Wa Dae said in a written briefing that President Lee, in his letter of appreciation to Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, expressed deep gratitude for Japan’s active cooperation. On November 11 in Riyadh, 11 Korean nationals and one foreign spouse, a total of 12 people, and on November 13 in Muscat in the Sultanate of Oman, four Korean nationals, were able to board Japanese chartered flights and arrive safely in Japan thanks to that cooperation.
He also conveyed that President Lee found it very meaningful that Japanese nationals were able to travel together with Korean nationals on a Korean military transport aircraft.
President Lee recalled that South Korea and Japan have helped and cooperated with each other in protecting their nationals overseas during various crises over the years. He highly valued the fact that, based on the “Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation for the Protection of Overseas Nationals in Third Countries” concluded between the two countries in September 2024, their foreign ministries and diplomatic missions on the ground communicated closely and worked together during the latest evacuation of Korean nationals.
President Lee stated, “I am pleased that the friendship between our two countries has shone even more brightly through this cooperation in the Middle East.” He added, “This kind of cooperation will be an opportunity to deepen friendship and trust between our peoples, and I look forward to our two countries continuing to work even more closely together to protect the lives and safety of our citizens.”
President Lee also wrote in his letter of appreciation to Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of Qatar, that he was deeply grateful for the special attention that made it possible to arrange an emergency commercial flight departing Doha on the 9th. Thanks to this, 322 Korean nationals were able to return safely to Incheon on the 10th.
President Lee noted, “This active support from the State of Qatar, with which Korea has a comprehensive strategic partnership, has demonstrated the close relationship between our two countries,” and said he hoped to continue discussions on ways to further expand cooperation.
In addition, President Lee, in his letter of appreciation to Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, expressed his gratitude to the Saudi side for its cooperation that enabled a Korean military transport aircraft deployed by the Korean government to depart Riyadh on the 14th carrying 204 Korean nationals and arrive safely in South Korea on the 15th.
Earlier, on the 8th, President Lee had also sent letters of appreciation to the President of Turkmenistan and the Prime Minister of Singapore for their assistance in ensuring the safe movement of Korean nationals.

cjk@fnnews.com Choi Jong-geun Reporter