Prime minister expresses condolences over deaths of Japanese tourists

(ATTN: UPDATES with South Korean prime minister's meeting with bereaved families;
RECASTS headline)
SEOUL/BUSAN, Nov. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's prime minister expressed
condolences Sunday over the deaths of eight Japanese tourists who were killed in
a blaze that swept through an indoor shooting range in the southern port city of
Busan.
Saturday's fire killed a total of 10 people, including two South Koreans -- a
tour guide and a shooting range employee. The Japanese were visiting the shooting
range as part of a sightseeing program. The group had come to Busan earlier
Saturday on a two-day trip.
"The fire incident that caused many casualties evoked deep shock among us, and
there are no words to properly describe our sadness," Prime Minister Chung
Un-chan said as he met with the families of the victims at a morgue at a Busan
hospital. The family members arrived in Busan earlier in the day.
"I especially offer my deep apologies to the families of those who suffered the
unexpected tragedy on foreign soil," he said. "The Republic of Korea is
relatively close (to Japan), but for any amount of inconveniences you may
experience in the foreign country, we will do our best to meet your needs and
cordially treat you."
Asked by one bereaved family member to throughly investigate the cause of the
fire, Chung promised to do so and strengthen preventive measures. He later
visited the Hana Hospital where six people injured in the fire are under
treatment.
Earlier in the day, Culture and Tourism Minister Yu In-chon also expressed
condolences and said his ministry will work closely with related government
bodies to deal with compensation and other issues promptly.
The minister said that the South Korean government will seek measures, including
compensation and insurance, to deal with foreign visitors who get involved in
accidents while visiting Korea.
Busan is South Korea's largest port city and one of the most popular destinations
for Japanese tourists due in part to its proximity to Japan.
Lee Gap-hyeong, head of the Busan Jungbu Police Station, said that the fire
appears to have started from a sofa inside a rest area near the entrance to the
range, but added that the exact cause of the fire was still unknown.
"The closed-circuit television in the range did not reveal any substantial leads
on the cause of the fire," he said at a press conference.
Police said the death toll may rise as some of the hospitalized people with
severe burns were in critical condition.
Fire authorities had reportedly warned the owners of the shooting range during a
recent inspection of potential dangers because of the large amount of soundproof
material at the facility that would produce a heavy toxic fume in case of fire.
The foreign ministry said the South Korean government set up a task force to
provide legal and administrative support for the families and the investigation.
"The ministry will help the families through our embassy in Tokyo and contact
with the Japanese consulate in Busan," a senior official at the ministry said.
odissy@yna.co.kr
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)