President Lee orders protection of Koreans in Venezuela, evacuation plan after U.S. military strike

President Lee Jae Myung ordered officials Saturday to protect Korean nationals in Venezuela and to prepare evacuation plans, if necessary, after a U.S. military strike against the South American country.  

Lee "instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant authorities to thoroughly protect Korean nationals and develop a detailed evacuation plan in case the situation worsens," the Blue House said in a statement, and to "make thorough preparations to ensure swift execution of these plans if necessary."

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed Saturday that U.S. forces had carried out "a large scale strike" against Venezuela, and were flying President Nicolás Maduro and his wife out of the country.  

Seoul's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that there are approximately 70 Korean nationals residing in Venezuela, and that as of Saturday evening, no casualties have been reported.

The Foreign Ministry activated a task force overseeing protection of overseas Koreans and is working with local embassies to ensure the safety of Korean nationals.  

The ministry is also expected to convene an emergency meeting later Saturday to assess the situation and discuss response measures, the Blue House said.  

Earlier, explosions were reported in Venezuela's capital of Caracas. The strike comes as the United States has accused Maduro of leading drug trafficking operations and election rigging.

Venezuelan authorities said that the government is compiling information about casualties and claimed that the strikes hit civilian areas. 

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]