KOREANS IN RUSSIA UNABLE TO LEAVE COUNTRY

[Anchor Lead]

Russia suspended almost all international flights on March 27 and even closed its land border. Korean students studying in Russia and those who are on business trips in the country hope that a charter flight will be organized to bring them back home.

[Pkg]

​On March 30 local time an Aeroflot flight from Moscow to Incheon was abruptly cancelled shortly before departure. Some 150 Koreans including students studying in Russia were set to board that flight.

[Soundbite] (STUDENT STUDYING IN RUSSIA) : "I've received a tuition refund. I even quit college, but I can't go back to Korea, as the flights get cancelled one after another."

Korean students studying in Russia opened a group chat on social media to discuss ways to return home. A petition was filed to Cheong Wa Dae urging the government to send a charter flight to Russia to bring the students back.

[Soundbite] PARK HYUNG-TAEK(DIRECTOR OF KOREAN ASSOCIATION IN MOSCOW) : "We need to find out how many people need a charter flight. So far, some 180 people expressed willingness to return to Korea."

The South Korean Embassy in Russia sent a notice saying it will consider organizing a charter flight after grasping how many people want to go back to Korea, if flights from Moscow to Incheon are not resumed any time soon. However, the embassy added it may take a lot of time to organize a flight.