Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik returned to Korea on the afternoon of July 16 after paying his respects to the late Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former Emir of Qatar, who passed away on July 12.

The late former Emir Sheikh Hamad was the father of the current Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Chief of Staff Kang departed for Qatar on July 14 as a special presidential envoy for President Lee Jae-myung.

Kang attended the memorial ceremony held at Lusail Palace on July 15 (local time) to express his condolences.

The Presidential Office stated in a press release that Kang conveyed President Lee's message of sympathy to Emir Tamim. In response, Emir Tamim expressed his gratitude for the South Korean government's decision to dispatch a high-level delegation during a difficult time, adding that he believes this will help elevate bilateral relations to a higher level.

While in Qatar, Chief of Staff Kang also held discussions with Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, as well as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al Thani.

The Presidential Office noted that during these meetings, Kang praised the achievements of the late former Emir Sheikh Hamad, symbolized by the Qatar National Vision 2030, as the foundation for establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations. Kang also expressed his expectation that the horizon of cooperation could be further expanded based on the trust between the two leaders.

(Photo: Yonhap News)