South Korea expresses condolences to victims of deadly attack at Moscow concert hall

Diplomacy

Published: 24 Mar. 2024, 16:11

South Korea expresses condolences to victims of deadly attack at Moscow concert hall

People light candles on Saturday at a makeshift memorial to the victims of a shooting attack at the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Moscow, Russia, the previous day. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Seoul expressed its deep condolences to the victims of a deadly shooting at a concert venue in Moscow on Friday, killing more than 130 people.

The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement on Saturday, expressed its "deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the terrible terrorist attack that occurred at the Crocus City Hall concert hall in Moscow."

It added that the Korean government stands in "solidarity with sorrow with the Russian people."

On Friday, gunmen in camouflage opened fire at Moscow's Crocus Concert Hall, killing at least 133 people and leaving at least 60 others with serious injuries. It was Russia's deadliest attack in two decades.

The Islamic State later claimed responsibility for the attack.

Seoul's Foreign Ministry said it hopes that the details of the incident "will be clearly revealed through a swift investigation."

Soon after the shooting, the South Korean Embassy in Moscow confirmed that no Koreans were killed or injured in the attack.

A Foreign Ministry official said it was "continuously checking for any harm inflicted on our citizens with the cooperation of the embassy in Russia and relevant Russian authorities."

The Russian government said Saturday that 11 people have been detained, including the four suspected gunmen, who were arrested near the border with Ukraine, and that they were not Russian citizens.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday called the attack a "barbaric terrorist act," vowing retribution.

He declared a national day of mourning on Sunday following the attack.

The U.S. government claimed it had shared information with Russia earlier this month about a planned attack in Moscow and issued a public advisory to Americans in the country on March 7.

It said the Islamic State was solely responsible for the attack.

Ukraine has denied any connection with the attack.

One week ago, Putin secured an unprecedented fifth term as president, extending his rule over Russia for another six years to 2030.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un delivered a message of condolence to Putin over the deadly shooting at the Moscow concert venue, Pyongyang's state media said Sunday.

Kim, on behalf of the North Korean government, "expressed deep condolences and sympathy" to Putin and the bereaved families and victims, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported in an English-language statement.

It added that the North Korean government opposes "all sorts of terrorism," adding that "nothing can justify the heinous terrorism threatening human life."

Kim is said to have relayed sincere hopes that "the Russian government and the strong Russian people would eradicate the aftermath of terrorist attack as soon as possible and stability would be brought to the bereaved families and victims."

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]