Israel-Palestine War 'Holy Land Pilgrimage Canceled' Sparks Trouble for Domestic Travel Agencies... Palestine Support Rally at Gwanghwamun on 11th

Police Strengthen Security at Israeli Embassy in Korea
Travel Agencies Review Cancellation of Holy Land Pilgrimage Packages

The armed conflict that began with a surprise attack on Israel by Hamas, the Islamic militant faction governing the Gaza Strip in Palestine, has continued for five days, with related rallies planned domestically and travel agencies offering Israel pilgrimage packages facing difficulties, among other impacts.

On the 8th (local time), an air defense system intercepted a missile in Ashkelon, Israel.
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

The current war between Palestine and Israel started when the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched thousands of rockets targeting Israel in the early hours of the 7th (local time). Israel immediately retaliated with airstrikes, and there are speculations about deploying ground forces. The combined death toll on both sides of Israel and the Gaza Strip is reported to be at least 1,600. The number of injured also exceeds 6,000.

Meanwhile, at 12:30 PM on the 11th, a pro-Palestine rally organized by 'Workers' Solidarity' is scheduled to take place in front of the Finance Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, with around 200 participants. Domestic Islamic groups such as 'Islam in Korea,' along with Muslims residing in Korea and human rights organizations, will participate. They have raised slogans such as "Israel must stop bombing the Gaza Strip" and "Palestine's resistance against Israel is justified." The organizers plan to march to the Israeli Embassy in Jongno-gu, Seoul, after the rally and deliver a protest letter to the embassy.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has strengthened security at the Israeli Embassy in Korea. Until now, the police had been conducting mobile patrols around the embassy residence, but since the 7th, at the request of the Israeli Embassy, they have been providing fixed security duty in front of the embassy residence on a continuous basis.

With the pilgrimage high season from December to February approaching, domestic travel agencies are also facing difficulties due to the war. Israel pilgrimages, which had been stagnant due to the COVID-19 pandemic, were recovering this year. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, the number of tourists visiting Israel from Korea reached 60,400 in 2019 but plummeted by 98.6% to 848 in 2021. As the COVID-19 situation eased, the number rebounded to 12,500 last year, and from January to August this year, 30,200 Korean tourists visited Israel.

However, the war has caused complications as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a special travel advisory for Israel. Travel advisories are categorized into four levels: Level 1 - Caution, Level 2 - Refrain from travel, Level 3 - Departure recommendation, and Level 4 - Travel ban. The special travel advisory is issued separately for urgent short-term risks and can last up to 90 days. The Gaza Strip was already designated as a Level 4 travel ban area in July. A representative from Mode Tour said, "For October departure packages, we are changing the itinerary to pilgrimages in Egypt and Jordan instead of Israel, and we are providing 100% refunds to customers who do not want the changed itinerary." A representative from Hana Tour also said, "We are discussing whether to cancel pilgrimage packages and whether to send prior notices."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.