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The South Korean Navy’s Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin-class destroyer, ROKS Munmu the Great (DDH-976), has reportedly been dispatched to Libya to evacuate South Korean nationals, amid worsening violence in Libya, a foreign ministry official has said.
The move follows the government’s emergency travel alert, which was issued last week and called for South Koreans to evacuate the country.
The official was quoted by Yonhap News Agency as saying: "The Munmu the Great will leave Oman’s Port of Salalah in the afternoon to arrive in the sea of Libya around mid-August with a mission to evacuate South Koreans."
The government is yet to decide what Libyan port the ship will dock in. Before the announcement, Munmu the Great had been performing a military mission in the Gulf of Aden.
Around 500 South Korean citizens are expected to leave Libya by mid-August through land routes, civilian jets and chartered ships.
The ship will then pick up those remaining in the country, which may include the South Korean Embassy staff, the official said.
Various militia groups have been attacking Libya, which has led to an unstable security situation in the capital Tripoli. More than 200 people have been killed in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, the UN and the US have withdrawn their staff and nationals, while other countries have issued evacuation orders to their respective citizens, according to foreign reports.
Image: ROKS Munmu the Great (DDH 976) at sea. Photo: courtesy of the US Navy, photo by mass communication specialist 2nd Class Rebecca J. Moat (RELEASED).
