SEOUL, March 29. /TASS/. South Korea’s The Korea Herald has expressed regret over its publication of a cartoon about the victims of the terrorist attack late last week on a crowded concert at the Crocus City Hall music venue in suburban Moscow and sent its condolences to the families of the victims.
"The Korea Herald expresses its deepest condolences to the victims of the March 22 terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall and shares this immense grief with the nation. In this regard, we deeply regret the publication of a syndicated cartoon in the March 27 edition of the newspaper. We regret this oversight and recognize and respect the feelings of those who were offended by this cartoon," the Russian embassy in Seoul quoted the newspaper's editorial board as saying, after having blasted the offensive cartoon as "blasphemous."
"The Korea Herald recognizes that it has a responsibility to ensure that the material it publishes meets standards of decency," the newspaper said in a statement. The editorial board reiterated its regret.
Earlier, the Russian embassy called the cartoon cynical and said it "equally hurts the feelings of South Korean citizens who share with Russians the pain of this terrible tragedy."
On the evening of March 22, a terrorist attack targeted the Crocus City Hall music venue in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region, just outside the Moscow city limits. At least 143 people were killed. According to the latest data, some 382 people were injured, 217 of whom received medical assistance. In connection with the incident, Russia declared a nationwide day of mourning for the first time since 2018. All four direct perpetrators of the terrorist attack have been arrested, while five other suspects are believed by investigators to be accessories to the crime. The Russian Investigative Committee said it had obtained evidence proving a link between the perpetrators of the attack and Ukrainian nationalists.