Korea raises Saudi travel alert to Level 3 amid Houthi clashes

Korea raised its travel advisory for Saudi Arabia to Level 3, the second-highest level, urging citizens to leave the country as intensifying clashes between Saudi forces and Houthi rebels threaten civilian infrastructure.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the upgraded alert, effective 10 p.m. Sunday, covering all regions of Saudi Arabia. The ministry urged Korean nationals in the country to depart if possible and advised those with travel plans to cancel or postpone their trips.

The decision came after Foreign Minister Cho Hyun convened a meeting Sunday afternoon with 15 Korean diplomatic missions across the Middle East, including the embassies in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iran, Israel and Lebanon.

Cho noted that recent fighting between Saudi Arabia and Houthi rebels has escalated significantly, with direct strikes on civilian infrastructure such as airports causing multiple casualties. He called on diplomatic missions to stay alert and respond swiftly to the rapidly shifting security landscape, regional power dynamics and energy supply trends.

Diplomatic missions in the region, including the embassies in Saudi Arabia and Yemen, said they are in constant communication with Korean nationals in their jurisdictions, issuing regular safety notices and verifying the well-being of citizens.

The ministry said it will continue to closely monitor developments in the region and maintain close coordination between headquarters and overseas missions to safeguard Korean citizens.