South Korea Foreign Ministry Statement on Venezuela Crisis

Statement on Venezuela Crisis given by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea

1. The government of the Republic of Korea expresses deep regret over the fact that, in the course of the delivery of humanitarian assistance goods from the international community to Venezuela on February 23, government troops of the country fired on and killed civilians.

2. The government of the Republic of Korea once again expresses concern over the current chaos in Venezuela caused by the lack of legitimacy and transparency of the presidential election held in the country in May 2018, and recognizes President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaido, who was sworn in as interim President on January 23, as such.

3. The government of the Republic of Korea urges that Venezuela, led by interim President Guaido, hold as soon as possible a presidential election in a democratic, transparent and credible way.

* unofficial English translation on February 25, 2019