Asia-Pacific

ROK’s Yoon visits Japanese Embassy to mourn Abe

Yonhap via Reuters
South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol leaves a condolence message for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Seoul on Tuesday.

Jiji Press

12:23 JST, July 14, 2022

SEOUL (Jiji Press) — South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol visited the Japanese Embassy in Seoul on Tuesday to mourn the death of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, according to the South Korean presidential office.

After offering a silent prayer in front of a portrait of Abe, Yoon signed a condolence book, saying that he prays for the soul of Abe, who dedicated himself to the prosperity and development of Asia, and offers deep condolences to Abe’s bereaved family and the Japanese people.

He also wrote that he hopes South Korea and Japan will be able to cooperate closely as nearest neighbors.

Yoon told Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Koichi Aiboshi, who served as a guide for the president, that the news of Abe’s death gave him a great shock. Abe was gunned down on Friday while delivering a stump speech ahead of Sunday’s House of Councillors election.

A press officer at the South Korean presidential office said Seoul hopes the latest condolence visit by Yoon will serve as a chance to reaffirm that South Korea and Japan share values and standards and become a new starting point for Japan-South Korea ties.

The South Korean government has said that it will send a delegation, including Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, to Japan to attend official memorial events for Abe.