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In the Israel-Hamas conflict… Korean Air takes action to repatriate local Koreans

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Samsung and Hyundai also pay attention to employee safety

View larger2023.10.9. Yeongjongdo = News 1

Following the surprise attack on Israel by the Palestinian armed political faction Hamas, Korean Air took steps to bring local Koreans home.

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Korean Air canceled the flight (KE957) from Incheon to Tel Aviv, which was scheduled to depart at 2:35 pm on the 9th. However, flight KE958 (218 seats), which was on the Dubai route, was sent to Tel Aviv for the return of local Koreans. Flight KE958 departs Tel Aviv at 1:45 pm on the 10th (local time) and is scheduled to arrive at Incheon International Airport at 6:10 am on the 11th.

Korean Air has been flying to Tel Aviv on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. This is a system that allows aircraft that arrive in Tel Aviv to depart for Korea on the same day. Following the cancellation of flights from Incheon to Tel Aviv on the 9th, the cancellation of flights to Tel Aviv was also announced on the 11th. The availability of flights from Tel Aviv to Incheon on the 11th will be confirmed later.

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About 360 Korean tourists visiting Israel are expected to return home one by one on Korean Air flights after the 10th. Ambassador to Israel Kim Jin-han, who oversees safety measures for Korean residents in Israel, said this in a phone call on the 9th, saying, “Local Korean residents are in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv (relatively safe).”

It is reported that there are an estimated 570 Korean residents in Israel who are staying in relatively safe shelters in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to monitor the situation. Some Korean residents living in Ashkelon, a region close to the Gaza Strip, which is a war zone, have already evacuated to relatively safe areas following the embassy’s recommendation. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as of the 9th, there have been no reports of damage to Korean residents or travelers in Israel. The government emphasized, “We are cooperating closely with the host country’s government and are devising safety and evacuation plans in preparation for the worsening situation.”

Travel agencies that sell travel products for pilgrimage to Israel have also begun to prepare measures. Travel agencies are planning to change travel packages to Israel scheduled for October to trips to neighboring countries. An official from Rodem Tours, a travel agency specializing in pilgrimage to holy places, said, “Customers who have taken leave in advance are inquiring about alternative products instead of canceling,” and added, “We will replace products to Israel with trips to neighboring countries such as Greece and Turkye.” Regarding refund inquiries, the airline’s policy is followed. An official from Modetour said, “We plan to announce our position on refunds as soon as the airline confirms the related policy.”

It is expected that all tourists currently traveling will move to Jordan, except for those returning home. Jordan, which borders Israel, has many Christian holy sites, including the Jordan River, and is often bundled with Israel when selling pilgrimage tour packages. An official from Modetour said, “All tour teams moved to Jordan on the night of the 8th, and we will decide whether to cancel the trip or continue the trip to Jordan.”

Companies operating in the local area are busy changing work patterns for safety reasons. For the safety of local employees in Israel, Samsung Electronics has switched to working from home and is operating an emergency communication network between headquarters and the local area to regularly check the situation. Samsung Electronics has about 10 Korean employees working as expatriates at its local sales subsidiaries and research institutes. Including local employees, hundreds of people work there. A Samsung Electronics official said, “We believe there is no major damage yet.”

Hyundai Motor Group, which operates a technology research center and dealership in Israel, has not yet suffered any damage to its employees or workplaces. A Hyundai Motor Group official explained, “We have no vehicle production facilities or local corporations in Israel,” and “We sell vehicles through local dealerships, and no damage has been reported yet.” However, as Hyundai Motors and Kia Motors occupy the first and second largest shares of the Israeli automobile market, respectively, they are continuing to closely monitor the situation.

An official from a large company said, “There is no initial damage as the conflict area is far from the business site, but I am worried that the conflict may be prolonged or the area may expand. “If the conflict escalates, the government may issue an evacuation order,” he said. “The company plans to do what it can and cooperate with the government’s guidelines.”

Source: Donga

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