South Korea to dispatch rescue team, emergency medical aid to Türkiye

ANKARA (AA) – South Korea announced on Tuesday that it would send around 60 members of an international rescue team and emergency medical supplies to Türkiye at the earliest, local media reported.

President Yoon Suk Yeol has directed that rescue personnel and emergency medical supplies be immediately dispatched by military aircraft to southern Türkiye, which has been devastated by two powerful earthquakes, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing Yoon's press secretary Kim Eun-hye statement.

"President Yoon Suk Yeol this morning ordered the dispatch of rescue personnel using military aircraft to assist Türkiye with the damage from the earthquake and to swiftly move to send emergency medicine and medical supplies," Kim said.

Kim recalled Ankara's assistance to his country during the 1950 war, quoting Yoon, who described Türkiye as a "brother nation that immediately sent troops without hesitating following the Communist invasion in 1950."

"President Yoon also ordered relevant ministries to work together around the Foreign Ministry to actively come up with assistance measures in the event that Türkiye requires additional assistance," the presidential office said.

Yoon also expressed his condolences to the people of Türkiye and Syria following the massive earthquakes on Monday.

"My heart goes out to the people of Türkiye and Syria during this difficult time. Korea sends our deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. We stand ready to assist Türkiye, a brotherhood forged in blood during the Korean War, in any way possible," he tweeted.

At least 2,921 people were killed and 15,834 others injured in 10 provinces of Türkiye due to two strong earthquakes that jolted the southern part of the country, an official from the nation’s disaster agency said early Tuesday.

Early Monday morning, a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the Pazarcik district of Kahramanmaras province and strongly shook several other provinces, including Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, Adana, Adiyaman, Malatya, Osmaniye, Hatay and Kilis.

Then at 13.24 p.m. (1024GMT), a 7.6 magnitude quake centered in Kahramanmaras’s Elbistan district struck the region.