1. In the wake of the bombings at the venue of the Boston Marathon on April 15, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se conveyed a condolence message to US Secretary of State John Kerry on April 16.

2. Minister Yun extended his deepest condolences to the civilian victims of the tragic bombings, their families and all the people of the United States. He also stated that the government of the Republic of Korea stands together with the US government and strongly condemns any act of violence against innocent civilians.

3. The Foreign Ministry has instructed all its diplomatic missions in North America, including the Consulate General in Boston, to prepare against the possibility of similar incidents occurring in their jurisdictions and enhance security measures to protect Korean nationals.

                            Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

* unofficial translation