In a telephone message sent to Yoo Jung-keun, president of the South Korean Red Cross, Kang Su-rin, head of the North Korean Red Cross Society, expressed its sympathy with the loss of many lives caused by the tragic accident, the worst in two decades here.
Of the 476 passengers and crew on board, only 174 people have been rescued. The death toll rose to 159 as of early Thursday morning, with 143 still missing.
The condolence message came a week after the ferry Sewol sank in waters off Jindo on April 16 on a routine trip south from the port of Incheon, west of Seoul, to Jeju Island.
Later in the day, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said: "The message expressed deep sympathy as regards the sinking of the ferry Sewol in waters off Jindo claiming many casualties including young schoolchildren and leaving many persons missing."
The North Korean condolence message is the first of its kind since 2003 when a subway fire and typhoon Maemi rocked South Korea. In 2006, the South conveyed its condolences over flooding in the North.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com