1. A government condolence delegation of the Republic of Korea, led by Deputy Prime Minister for social affairs and Minister of Education Hwang Woo-yea, attended a mass condolence meeting held at the King Abdullah Palace in Saudi Arabia on January 26 and delivered a message of condolence from President Park Geun-hye. National Guard Minister Prince Miteb, on behalf of the bereaved family, expressed appreciation to the ROK government for sending a high-level condolence delegation and asked the delegation to relay the Saudi Arabian government’s gratitude to President Park.

o At the condolence meeting, offspring of the late King Abdullah, including National Guard Minister Prince Miteb, Governor of Riyadh Prince Turki, and Deputy Foreign Minister Prince Abdulaziz, received condolence delegations from other countries. The meeting was attended by members of delegations from some 20 countries, including Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia Peter Cosgrove, Deputy Prime Minister of Poland Tomasz Siemoniak, and the Foreign Ministers of Canada and the Philippines.

2. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se also visited the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in the ROK on January 26 and signed a condolence book. He met with Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the ROK Al-Barrak and extended condolences and sympathy on the passing of King Abdullah. Minister Yun also spoke highly of the late King Abdullah’s significant contributions during his reign to developing bilateral relations between the ROK and Saudi Arabia, as well as contributions to security and prosperity at home and abroad.

o In response, Ambassador Al-Barrak expressed his deep appreciation for Minister Yun’s offer of condolences and explained the procedure of the funeral of the late King Abdullah in Riyadh and from whom condolences were being received. Ambassador Al-Barrak also commended Minister Yun for visiting Saudi Arabia in December last year to chair the ROK-Saudi Arabia Joint Committee meeting, adding that the visit laid an important foundation for advancing relations between the two countries. 


                Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

*unofficial translation