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| ▲ President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Dec. 30, 2025. (Pool photo) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This AFP photo shows a fire at a military complex in Venezuela after a series of explosions in Caracas following a U.S. strike against the Venezuelan capital on Jan. 3, 2026. (Yonhap) |
(2nd LD) Lee-Venezuela
(2nd LD) Lee orders protection of S. Korean nat'ls in Venezuela, evacuation plans prepared: Cheong Wa Dae
(ATTN: UPDATES article with details from foreign ministry's meeting)
SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung instructed officials Saturday to ensure the protection of South Korean nationals in Venezuela and to prepare evacuation plans if necessary, his office said.
Lee's instruction came on the heels of a U.S. military strike against the South American country, confirmed by U.S. President Donald Trump, amid his administration's pressure campaign on Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
"President Lee Jae Myung instructed officials to ensure the thorough protection of South Korean nationals in Venezuela and to meticulously prepare evacuation plans so they can be swiftly carried out in case the situation further worsens," a Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson said in a message to media.
Around 70 South Korean nationals are staying in Venezuela, including about 50 in the capital of Caracas, where U.S. strikes were reported. No casualties involving South Koreans have been reported so far.
The foreign ministry in Seoul convened an emergency meeting late Saturday to assess the situation and discuss preparedness to ensure the safety of South Korean nationals in Venezuela.
Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina, who led the meeting, called for officials to prepare contingency plans for possible evacuation or withdrawal and ensure that such plans can be implemented swiftly when necessary, the ministry said in a release.
The ministry set up a task force for protecting overseas nationals following the attacks and is working with its diplomatic mission in Venezuela to ensure their safety.
Trump announced the U.S. has carried out a large-scale military strike against Venezuela and captured Maduro and his wife. Maduro has been charged in the U.S. with narco-terrorism.
The Trump administration has accused Maduro of allowing drug trafficking into the U.S. and of rigging last year's election to maintain his grip on power.
Venezuela has declared a national emergency following the U.S. attacks and mobilized its troops, claiming the U.S. intervention is aimed at ousting Maduro and seizing control of the country's vast oil reserves.
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