South Korea: Impeached Yoon asks govt support for LA fire relief efforts

Seoul, Jan 13 South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol asked the government on Monday to provide support for efforts to contain wildfires in Los Angeles, in his second Facebook posting following his impeachment last month.

In the Facebook post, Yoon expressed condolences and regret as the devastating fires in Los Angeles continued to spread.

"If help is needed, I ask the government to provide support and do its utmost to prevent any damage to our compatriots," Yoon wrote.

"The United States is our precious ally that helped South Korea during its most difficult times, and Los Angeles is home to the largest number of compatriots in the world," he added.

Yoon extended his condolences and words of comfort to fire victims and sent his "heartfelt sympathies" to the people of the US, Yonhap news agency reported.

"I sincerely hope that the wildfires are brought under control and the damage is swiftly repaired," he wrote.

It marked Yoon's second Facebook message after he was impeached on December 14 over his short-lived martial law declaration, following a condolence message on December 29 regarding the deadly Jeju Air plane crash.

Meanwhile, the death toll from the ravaging wildfires in Los Angeles has risen to 24.

Wildfires continued to rage through Los Angeles County, marking a catastrophic "Black Swan" event of unprecedented scale in the history of the US' most populous county.

Among the active fires, the Palisades Fire has burned through 19,978 acres (80.85 square km) with only six per cent containment as of Thursday night. Meanwhile, the Eaton Fire has scorched 13,690 acres (55.4 square km) and remains completely uncontained, Xinhua News Agency reported.

For residents like Michael, an accountant in Altadena where the Eaton Fire erupted, the devastation has been life-altering. He was evacuated just moments before his home was engulfed by flames.

"It's like living through Armageddon," he said, choking back tears. "We've lost everything."

According to Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, the wildfires, which began Tuesday night, rank among the county's most destructive natural disasters. Over 10,000 buildings have been destroyed so far, primarily due to the Palisades and Eaton fires.

Source: IANS