Korea said it is closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela, urging all parties to work to ease regional tensions and seek a swift return to stability through dialogue. In a statement issued Friday, the Foreign Ministry said it hoped that democracy would be restored in Venezuela, that the will of the Venezuelan people would be respected and that the country’s situation would be stabilized as soon as possible through dialogue. The ministry also said the government is taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety of Korean nationals staying in Venezuela. The United States launched an attack on Venezuela on Saturday, capturing its long-serving president, Nicolas Maduro, in a dramatic overnight operation that plunged parts of Caracas into darkness. U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States would assume temporary control of the country, even as Venezuelan officials vowed to resist the takeover. According to Trump, U.S. special operations forces seized Maduro in or near one of his safe houses after disabling electrical systems in parts of the capital.