As the United States is reportedly counting down to a possible attack on Afghanistan, Korea's large-sized firms, with operations in the Middle East, have begun taking emergency measures, including plans to repatriate resident staff in the war-prone region.

Samsung Corp., the export arm of Samsung group, decided to withdraw its branch in Karachi, Pakistan which borders with Afghanistan, the possible target for a US attack. The firm also said that its seven resident staff in other Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iran and Egypt have been ordered not to lose track of each other and to return their family members there to Korea as early as possible.

LG International, the same trading unit of LG group, said the firm ordered its Middle Eastern resident staff to stop traveling and stay in touch with the head office round-the-clock. Hyundai Corp. launched an emergency contact channel with its staff in Israel, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.

None of Korean construction firms has any project under construction in Afghanistan. Hyundai Engineering and Construction, the nation's leading contractor in overseas construction markets, however, requested its staff and workers at the firm's 38 construction project sites in eleven countries in the Middle East, including Iran and Libya to stay alert. Daelim Ind. set up an emergency communication channel with about 50 staff in four Middle Eastern countries.

Also, the nation's ocean-going shipping firms have been in full alert over their operations transporting crude oil from the Middle East. Korea imports a total of 687 million barrels of crude oil from the Middle East, occupying 76% of all oil imports by the country.

(Cha Hak-bong, hbcha@chosun.com )