Amid escalating fears of a broader regional conflict due to US-Israeli strikes in Iran, South Korean companies are swiftly taking action to ensure the safety of their employees. These measures include relocating personnel from high-risk areas and implementing emergency protocols throughout the Middle East.
Industry sources revealed on Tuesday that major conglomerates like Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, and Hyundai Motor Group have already begun moving employees from their offices in Iran and Israel to safer neighboring countries. These locations include the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Jordan.
Samsung has relocated employees from both Iran and Israel, and temporarily closed its Iranian office for a week. While operations in Saudi Arabia and Jordan continue as usual, offices in the UAE and Iraq have transitioned to remote work. The company is actively evaluating further steps, such as extending remote work arrangements, relocating employees to other countries, or facilitating their return to Korea, depending on the evolving situation.
LG Electronics has also initiated evacuation procedures in collaboration with local embassies. A Korean employee stationed in Iran departed the country last week. The company has issued safety advisories across its Middle Eastern operations, advising employees to avoid all non-essential travel.
Hyundai Motor Group, currently constructing a production plant in Saudi Arabia under the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Middle East project, is closely monitoring the situation. Although some regional airports have experienced closures, construction workers and on-site personnel are continuing their work. However, the group has suspended operations at select dealership showrooms in certain Middle Eastern markets as a precautionary measure.
“All employees in the Middle East are safe, and we are maintaining emergency communication protocols,” Hyundai stated.
Other major South Korean companies are also reinforcing their safety measures. SK Group has confirmed the safety of its employees in the region and continues to monitor the situation. HD Hyundai has shifted its Middle East-based staff to remote work and activated emergency contact systems.
Hanwha Group, with defense, financial, and machinery businesses across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait, has established real-time communication channels between its headquarters and overseas units to track employee safety. In Iraq, Hanwha has 123 employees on the ground, with a total of 172 individuals including family members.
As tensions increase around the Strait of Hormuz, South Korea’s shipping industry is reinforcing security measures for vessels transiting this crucial waterway.
The Korea Shipowners’ Association has issued a notice to member lines, including HMM and Pan Ocean, urging strict adherence to safety protocols. The directive includes pre-departure safety briefings, emergency response drills, enforcement of ship-specific security plans, and reviews of war risk insurance coverage.
HMM, the nation’s largest container carrier, has docked a vessel that was transiting the Strait of Hormuz at the Port of Dubai, according to company officials.
Authorities are sharing real-time vessel location data with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries’ control center and the Cheonghae naval unit deployed overseas. Shipping firms are coordinating with Korean embassies to provide support to seafarers should routes need to be diverted.
The Foreign Ministry has reported that no Korean nationals in Iran or Israel have been harmed as of the time of reporting. Evacuation and contingency plans are expected to remain in place as tensions show no signs of abating.
On Monday, the US State Department urged American citizens to leave more than a dozen countries in the region immediately, including Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
