Korean banks with operations in the Middle East are rushing to secure the safety of their employees as the U.S.-Israel war against Iran spreads across the region, industry officials said Monday. No Korean financial institutions in the region have reported direct damage so far, but banks have begun relocating staff from conflict-affected areas and shifting operations to remote work, they said. Shinhan Bank's branch in Dubai currently has 11 employees, including three Korean staff members and eight locally hired workers, all working remotely. Families of the Korean employees have already returned to Korea. "The branch has remained closed and is currently conducting only non-face-to-face operations," a Shinhan Bank official said. "No employees have been injured or suffered damage, and we are checking the safety of our staff through real-time communication channels." Concerns intensified after buildings in the Dubai International Financial Centre were hit in an Iranian airstrike last Thursday, 500 meters from the building where Shinhan Bank's branch is located. Woori Bank, whose Dubai branch