KOREAN NET

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Feb. 7 urged active support for Turkiye (Turkey), which was struck by a massive earthquake the day before. Shown is President Yoon on Feb. 1 chairing the inaugural meeting on strategic development of human resources at Kumoh National Institute of Technology in Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. (Office of the President)

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Feb. 7 urged the government to promptly provide aid to Turkiye (Turkey), which was hit by an earthquake the day before.

Senior Secretary to the President for Public Relations Kim Eun-hye on Feb. 7 said in a news release, "President Yoon ordered on this day relevant government branches like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to urgently dispatch rescue personnel using Korean military transport planes and expedite emergency support of medical supplies."

The Office of the President said a government-level relief team including 60 international rescue workers considered the world's best in rescue and recovery support will be dispatched.

"Turkiye is a brother country that immediately sent troops without hesitation after the 1950 communist invasion," the president said, expressing his condolences to those who lost their lives in the quake and their bereaved families.

President Yoon requested close cooperation with Turkish authorities through the ministry and Seoul's diplomatic mission in Ankara and ordered government branches led by the ministry to devise additional support methods.

On his Twitter account, he said, "My heart goes out to the people of Turkiye and Syria during this difficult time," adding, "Korea sends our deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. "

"We stand ready to assist Turkiye, a brotherhood forged in blood during the Korean War, in any way possible."

The Associated Press and other foreign media said the 7.8-magnitude quake struck the border region between southern Turkiye and northern Syria and killed at least 4,000 people in a day.


By Park Hye Ri
hrhr@korea.kr