Lee Expresses Condolences to Blaze Victims

President Lee Myung-bak Saturday expressed condolences to the victims and family members of the tragic blaze in a police-tenant standoff in Seoul’s Yongsan area earlier this week and stressed the nation’s largest holiday should also be a time for thinking about the underprivileged and national harmony, Yonhap News reported Saturday.

In his radio speech, Lee said, “I feel deeply saddened by the tragedy in Yongsan. I want to take this opportunity to express my condolences to the victims of the tragedy and deliver my warm regards to their family members.”

Some observers predict the possibility of a fiery political crisis erupting amid the controversy surrounding the way authorities handled the fatal standoff.

“I hope that this Lunar New Year’s holiday doesn’t become a time for engaging in a conflict arising from differences in our thinking, but a time to cheer up each other and heal the hearts of people,” Lee said.