Korea offers $2 million worth of humanitarian aid to earthquake-stricken Morocco

A rescue worker searches for survivors in the rubble of destroyed houses in Talat-n-Ya'qoub, Al-Haouz province, on Sept. 11, 2023. [AFP/YONHAP]

The Korean government will extend $2 million worth of humanitarian aid to Morocco following the devastating earthquake that recently struck the North African country.

On Tuesday, the Korean Foreign Ministry said it is negotiating with its Moroccan counterpart on the details of the aid package.

Despite the Korean government's offer to dispatch an emergency rescue team to Marrakesh, the Moroccan government has not yet made any such requests.

The earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.8, struck last week approximately 72 kilometers southwest of Marrakesh.

As of Monday, the earthquake had claimed the lives of 2,681 individuals, with over 2,500 people sustaining injuries.

Approximately 360 Koreans live in Morocco, but no deaths or injuries have been reported, according to the Korean Embassy in Rabat.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]