Foreign embassies in South Korea have expressed sorrow over the devastating wildfires ravaging the country's southeastern regions.
The disaster, one of the worst wildfire incidents in South Korea’s history, had claimed 26 lives and injured 30 as of Thursday morning. Strong winds exacerbated the situation, forcing approximately 27,000 residents to evacuate.
"My heartfelt condolences go out to the victims and their families, and I extend my sympathies to those who have lost their homes and livelihoods. I also express my utmost respect for the rescue teams and all those tirelessly working on the front lines," German ambassador to South Korea Georg Wilfried Schmidt told The Korea Herald.
"I sincerely hope the wildfires will be extinguished soon," he added.
Acknowledging the loss of lives, the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul expressed heartfelt sympathies to the victims and their bereaved families during this difficult time. It also praised South Korea’s swift evacuation efforts and assured the safety of Indonesian nationals.
Philippine Ambassador to Korea Maria Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega conveyed heartbreak over the loss of lives, urging the Filipino community to remain vigilant. "We hope they (committed firefighters, first-responders, local authorities, heritage conservators, and other) will succeed in their efforts to contain the fires and preserve lives, property and precious heritage sites," she said.
Chinese Ambassador to Korea Dai Bing relayed condolences from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, saying, "I extend my deepest condolences to the victims and express my heartfelt sympathy to the people of South Korea affected by the wildfires. I sincerely hope that the fires will be brought under control soon and that the affected areas will recover as quickly as possible."
Expressing solidarity with Korea, Egyptian Ambassador to Korea Khaled Abdel Rahman told The Korea Herald that Egyptians stand with the victims and their families and extend sympathy to those who have lost their homes.
He also conveyed deep respect for the firefighters, rescue teams and all those working tirelessly to contain the fire.
“We sincerely hope for a swift end to this tragedy and for the safety of everyone affected,” Rahman told The Korea Herald.
Sharing a press release with The Korea Herald, the Kenyan Embassy in Seoul expressed deep sympathies to South Korea, mourning the loss of lives and destruction of homes and cultural heritage sites.
"We are profoundly saddened by this unimaginable tragedy. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims, the injured, and all those displaced," the release read, commending the efforts of emergency responders and volunteers.
The Kazakh Embassy echoed similar sentiments, offering "deepest condolences to the families of the victims and those who suffered property losses."
The Singaporean Embassy acknowledged the heroism of firefighters and first responders, highlighted the Korean government's declaration of a state of national disaster, and urged Singaporeans in Korea to stay informed and follow safety guidelines.
The Tanzanian Embassy shared deep sorrow over the tragic loss of lives and damage caused by the ongoing wildfires in Gyeongsang Province and extended sympathies, affirming solidarity with the affected communities.
Several diplomatic missions told The Korea Herald that they were closely monitoring the situation and would issue statements of condolence and support for the ongoing relief efforts.
sanjaykumar@heraldcorp.com
