Foreign Minister Park Jin says the government is mulling ways to evacuate some 480 South Koreans visiting Israel on a short-term basis amid the ongoing armed conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas. 

Park made the remark on Tuesday during the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee’s inspection of the foreign ministry. 

In an answer to main opposition Democratic Party Rep. Woo Sang-ho, Park said the ministry confirmed that some 360 South Koreans arrived in Israel on a Korean Air flight for a short-term visit while around 120 others had arrived using other airlines.

He said the diplomatic mission in Israel is aware of the location of such Koreans through travel agencies, citing that most of the Koreans are tourists on a pilgrimage to sacred places.

Park said the government is working to ensure the safety of the South Koreans and will consider all necessary measures. He was responding to a question about evacuation plans by ruling People Power Party Rep. Tae Yong-ho who said there will be no way out of Israel if airfields shut down. 

The minister also said that so far there have been no reports of casualties involving South Koreans in the Israel-Hamas conflict.