Continuous Confirmation of Whether Our Citizens Are Affected, Consular Assistance Provided
Large Explosion at Beirut Port, At Least 73 Dead
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Amid the massive explosion disaster that occurred in Beirut, Lebanon, it is reported that there have been no Korean casualties so far.
On the 5th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated regarding whether there were any Korean victims related to the explosion accident, "The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Lebanon is confirming the status of Korean nationals through local overseas Korean community chat rooms immediately after the accident, and no casualties have been reported so far."
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to continuously monitor the damage situation. The Ministry explained, "The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Lebanon will continue to confirm the status of Korean nationals in cooperation with the Lebanese government and provide necessary consular assistance if any damage is confirmed."
According to foreign media, two large explosions occurred at the Beirut port on the afternoon of the 4th, resulting in at least 73 deaths and over 3,700 injuries. According to U.S. media, a fire broke out in a warehouse on the Beirut waterfront, followed by a massive explosion. The blast was powerful enough to shake the roofs of buildings located at a considerable distance. Most windows of buildings within a 10 km radius were shattered due to the explosion's impact.
Houses and offices, as well as vehicles passing by or parked nearby, suffered significant damage. The force was so strong that vehicles driving on the road were overturned by the shock from the explosion. According to videos shared by locals on social media, a huge mushroom cloud and an enormous bubble jet covered the surrounding area immediately after the explosion. The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Lebanon, located 7.3 km from the accident site, had two glass panes on the 4th floor broken.
The U.S. government is aware of the unusual scale of the explosion and is closely monitoring the situation. CNBC reported that a senior official from the Trump administration said, "We have seen reports of the explosion and are closely observing the situation."
In Lebanon, about 280 members of the Dongmyeong Unit dispatched for UN peacekeeping activities and about 140 Korean nationals are currently staying.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
