Finland condoles at Seoul tragedy victims

President Sauli Niinistö and Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto expressed condolence at the deaths of scores of people in an incident of stampede during Halloween gatherings in South Korea on Saturday night.

“President Niinistö has expressed his condolences for the terrible tragedy in Seoul to President Yoon of the Republic of Korea,” the President Office wrote in twitter post late Saturday night.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs in a twitter post on Sunday morning wrote that Foreign Minister Haavisto deeply saddened by the tragic news from Seoul this weekend.

“My sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of all the victims,” wrote the ministry in the twitter post, quoting Haavisto as saying.

At least 153 people were killed and 103 others injured in a stampede that occurred Saturday night at Itaewon, a district of the South Korean capital Seoul, during Halloween gatherings, local authorities said Sunday.

It was the country's deadliest disaster since a ferry sinking incident left 304 people dead in April 2014, reported Xinhua.

The death toll could rise as 24 people were seriously wounded. Twenty foreigners were among those killed in the incident, according to the authorities.