SEOUL – October 30 (ONLINE) Foreign leaders expressed condolences over the deadly crowd surge in Seoul’s Itaewon district, with at least 20 foreign nationals from as many as a dozen countries among those killed in the crush in a popular nightspot.
South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a period of national mourning on Sunday after the Halloween crush on Saturday night killed some 153 people.
South Korea’s Ministry of Interior and Safety put the total at 20 foreign nationals killed. A ministry official told Reuters that among the dead were people from China, Iran, Russia, the United States, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Australia, Sri Lanka, and Norway, with several people still unidentified.
Two Japanese nationals, a woman in her twenties and another woman between the age of 10 and 19, were confirmed to have died in the crush, an official at Japan’s foreign ministry said.
“I am greatly shocked and deeply saddened by the loss of many precious lives, including young people with a bright future, as a result of the very tragic accident,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in a statement.
At least four Chinese nationals were among those killed, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the Chinese embassy in Seoul.
“On behalf of the Chinese government and people, I would like to express deep condolences to the victims and extend sincere condolences to their families and the injured,” President Xi Jinping said in a letter, according to Xinhua.
Xi said some Chinese citizens were also injured, and hoped South Korea “will make every effort to cure and deal with the aftermath.”
Four Russian citizens died, the RIA news agency reported, citing the Russian embassy in South Korea.
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