South Korea orders protection of its nationals in Venezuela, President says evacuation plans prepared

Seoul, Jan 3 (IANS) South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung instructed officials on Saturday to ensure the protection of Korean nationals in Venezuela and to prepare evacuation plans if necessary, his office said.

Lee’s instruction came on the heels of a US military strike against the South American country, confirmed by US 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 the media.

The foreign ministry in Seoul plans to convene an emergency meeting late Saturday to assess the situation and discuss response measures, the spokesperson said.

Around 70 South Korean nationals are staying in Venezuela, including about 50 in the capital of Caracas, where US strikes were reported. No casualties involving South Koreans have been reported so far, reports Yonhap news agency.

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 United States has carried out a large-scale military strike against Venezuela and captured Maduro, who has been charged with narco-terrorism in the US.

Taking to his social media platform ‘Truth Social’, Trump said, “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country.”

He mentioned that this operation was done in conjunction with US Law Enforcement, and further details will follow during a news conference at 11 a.m. (local time) at Mar-a-Lago.

int/sd/