Saudi Arabia Evacuates 7 Citizens from South Korea’s Daegu over Coronavirus Outbreak

Gulf

February 29th, 8:29am

Jeddah – Ibrahim al-Qurashi

Employees from a disinfection service company sanitize a traditional market in Seoul, South Korea, February 26, 2020. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia began on Friday evacuating its citizens from South Korea’s Daegu city, which has emerged as a main cluster for the spread of the new coronavirus. Saudi Ambassador to South Korea Riyadh al-Mubaraki said seven citizens will be evacuated from the city. Six of the evacuees are students and the seventh is an individual visiting one of them. They are set to arrive in the Kingdom on Saturday, the envoy told Asharq Al-Awsat. Two Saudi students have opted to remain in South Korea. Mubaraki explained that the evacuations from Daegu are voluntary, revealing that some 300 Saudi students are studying in South Korea. Some 1,000 Saudis are present in the country, including members of the Kingdom’s diplomatic mission and their families. Some 250 Saudi Aramco employees are present in South Korea. Contacts are ongoing with Saudis to ensure their safety, he stressed. He urged them to exercise caution, follow prevention measures and avoid public gatherings. The Saudi embassy is at their disposal for evacuation and any assistance, he said.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2155421/saudi-arabia-evacuates-7-citizens-south-korea%E2%80%99s-daegu-over-coronavirus-outbreak