Japanese Gov. Thanks Busan for Helping Fire Victims

The governor of Japan’s Nagasaki Prefecture thanked Busan Mayor Hur Nam-sik yesterday for the Korean port city’s swift action on a fatal fire that killed nine Japanese tourists in November last year.

Governor Genjiro Kaneko, who was visiting Busan with a nine-member delegation, asked Hur to convey the gratitude of the bereaved Japanese families for the “warm heart” of Busan and its citizens.

The mayor expressed his condolences for the victims and their bereaved families and pledged to give a reasonable amount of compensation as soon as possible.

The visit came after some 10 phone calls and exchanges of personal letters occurred between Hur and Kaneko.

The Japanese delegation visited the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency, the firing range and a hospital where several of the Japanese victims were treated. They also observed a moment of silence for the victims.

Last month, Okumura Shintaro, the mayor of Unzen of Japan’s Nagasaki Prefecture, also visited Busan.