▲ Scene of earthquake damage in Venezuela
The South Korean government is considering dispatching a relief team to Venezuela following the recent earthquake, in addition to providing humanitarian aid.
Park Il, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated during a briefing regarding support activities for Venezuela, "We have been considering the dispatch of a relief team focused on medical personnel rather than search and rescue teams, taking into account geographical distance and the 'golden time' for rescue operations."
He continued, "However, as the Venezuelan Ministry of Health officially requested on Sunday, June 28, that other countries refrain from sending medical teams, our government is closely monitoring the situation. We plan to continue reviewing the possibility of dispatching a relief team while monitoring local conditions, including the demand for medical services within Venezuela."
It is understood that the Venezuelan Ministry of Health requested restraint on the dispatch of medical teams because emergency treatment for the injured has been completed, and the situation has entered the recovery and cleanup phase.
Previously, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on June 26 that the government had decided to provide 5 million dollars in humanitarian aid to Venezuela through international organizations.
Meanwhile, a Foreign Ministry official stated that there have been no reports of casualties among the approximately 100 South Korean nationals currently in Venezuela.
However, one Korean family's apartment was damaged, and both the South Korean Embassy and the Ambassador's residence sustained damage. The embassy suffered more significant damage, so the residence is currently being used as a temporary office.
The government has stocked supplies such as food, medicine, gasoline, and generators at the embassy and a local Korean church to provide support to citizens if needed.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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