No South Korean Casualties Reported in Japan Earthquake: Ministry

SEOUL, July 29 (Yonhap) -- No South Korean casualties have been reported from an earthquake that struck Japan earlier this week, the foreign ministry said Wednesday. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it held a joint meeting with Seoul's consulate general in Fukuoka earlier in the day to discuss safety measures for South Korean nationals residing in Japan. The consulate general said no reports of South Korean casualties had been received as of 4:00 p.m. "We plan to maintain contact with relevant Japanese authorities and Korean communities to monitor the situation and take necessary measures, including issuing safety notifications," the diplomatic mission said. The earthquake struck 23 kilometers south of Kumamoto, Japan, at 4:27 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Around 160 aftershocks have been reported following the magnitude 7.1 earthquake. In a social media post, President Lee Jae Myung expressed condolences to the victims and bereaved families of the earthquake in Japan. "I pray for the victims of the earthquake and extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved families," Lee said. "I also extend my sympathies to the residents facing hardships after losing their homes in the unexpected disaster." "I hope the Japanese government and its people will join forces to recover from the damage of the disaster under the leadership of Prime Minister (Sanae) Takaichi and return to their everyday lives," Lee added in the post, which was also written in Japanese, noting that South Korea stands with Japan in solidarity.