10 S. Koreans evacuated from Yemen by plane

SEOUL, March 28 (Yonhap) -- Ten South Koreans including two embassy staffers were evacuated from Yemen by plane Saturday as security concerns have heightened following airstrikes against a militant rebel group in the country, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

On Thursday, Saudi Arabia and a coalition of Gulf Arab nations launched air strikes against Shiite rebels, known as Houthi, which ousted Yemen's government and dissolved the parliament in early February. The militant group has expanded its influence following its seizure of the capital Sanaa in September.

Seoul's foreign ministry said eight Korean residents in Sanaa and two embassy employees departed for Djibouti on a U.N. plane earlier in the day as part of the evacuation plan.

The evacuation reduced the total number of South Koreans in Yemen to 28 who include two diplomats.

"We considered a number of issues including the fact that this plane may be the last way out (of Yemen), but decided that at least some of our embassy staff should stay behind if there are people wishing to stay," a foreign ministry official said, asking that he not be identified.

Before the evacuation, 20 Koreans were living in the capital and 18 others in three different areas, including Taiz.

Most of the Koreans still remaining in Yemen opted not to leave the country, according to ministry officials.

As security concerns are growing, many countries, including the United States, Britain, Germany, France and Japan have temporarily closed their embassies in Yemen.

Yemen is one of the six countries on which Seoul has imposed travel bans. The five other countries are Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Afghanistan. Travel to those nations requires special government permission.

sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)