Kim Jong-un Comforts Earthquake Victims Only in 'Pro-Russian' Syria, Excluding Turkey

Magnitude 7.8 Earthquake Strikes Turkey and Syria
Kim Jong-un Expresses Deep Condolences to the People of Syria
South Korea Dispatches Largest-Ever Emergency Relief Team

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] As the damage from the powerful earthquake that struck southern Turkey and northwestern Syria continues to grow, North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un sent a message of condolence only to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

According to the Korean Central News Agency on the 8th, Chairman Kim stated in his message to President al-Assad, "I have received news that a strong earthquake in the northwestern region of your country has caused many casualties and material losses. On behalf of the government and people of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and myself, I express my deepest sympathy and condolences to you, and through you, to the government and people of the Syrian Arab Republic (Syria) and the residents of the affected areas."

Building in neighboring Syria collapsed due to the magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Turkey [Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, on the 6th (local time), a powerful earthquake measuring 7.8 struck, hitting southern Turkey and northwestern Syria. The death toll from the earthquake has currently been estimated to exceed at least 7,800. North Korea also relatively quickly reported this damage news by citing foreign media the day before.

However, North Korea’s condolences were conveyed only to Syria, and no message of condolence has yet been disclosed to have been sent to Turkey, where the earthquake damage is comparatively much greater. Isolated from the international community due to sanctions, North Korea maintains close diplomatic relations with Syria, which is classified as a pro-Russian country. Although diplomatic relations have been established with Turkey as well, the relationship is relatively less friendly due to Turkey’s participation as part of the United Nations forces during the Korean War.

Meanwhile, the Republic of Korea’s overseas emergency relief team, tasked with rescue and relief operations for the earthquake damage in Turkey, held a departure ceremony last night and departed for the site. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and others, the emergency relief team, consisting of 118 personnel from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Fire Agency, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and military personnel, headed to the Adana Air Base in southeastern Turkey aboard the Republic of Korea military’s KC-330 multipurpose transport aircraft from Incheon Airport.

The number of personnel in this emergency relief team is the largest single-scale dispatch by the government overseas. Compared to European countries geographically close to Turkey, whose dispatch sizes are known to be around 60 to 80 people, the Korean emergency relief team is considerably large. After receiving news of the earthquake damage, President Yoon Suk-yeol emphasized, "Helping our brother country Turkey is only natural," and added, "I hope all ministries actively cooperate."