South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (R) comforts Turkish Ambassador to South Korea Murat Tamer at the Turkish Embassy in Seoul on Feb. 9, 2023, as he express his condolences to the victims impacted by a deadly earthquake in Turkey, in this photo released by the presidential office. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — President Yoon Suk Yeol instructed the government Monday to mobilize all available resources to secure maximum relief supplies for quake-hit Turkey, his office said.
Yoon gave the instruction during a weekly meeting with his senior secretaries, saying South Korea must be more eager than anyone to help Turkey recover from the devastating earthquake as an “ally forged in blood and a brother nation,” presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon said during a press briefing.
“What Turkey needs the most at the moment is tents, medicine and medical supplies, and electric equipment,” Yoon was quoted as saying.
“I would like each ministry, including the foreign ministry, defense ministry, industry ministry, to mobilize all available resources and secure maximum relief supplies and swiftly discuss measures with the Turkish side,” he added.
Yoon also instructed each ministry to designate a department responsible for handling aid for Turkey, with Minister for Government Policy Coordination Bang Moon-kyu in charge, to ensure Turkey receives not only emergency relief but also help with reconstruction, according to Lee.
In a separate weekly meeting with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Yoon again stressed the need to provide maximum support to Turkey, citing the “brother nation’s” deployment of troops to fight alongside South Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War.
Lee also said the government decided to send 150 tents and 2,200 blankets to Turkey via military aircraft on Thursday.
The supplies will be sent together with a second team of relief workers, he said, noting some 372 medical staffers are waiting to be sent, including 29 who are ready to depart within a week.
(Yonhap)
