President Yoon: "Gorbi, a Leader Who Ended the Cold War Era and Led Peace"

Send a Condolence Message to Irina Virganskaya, Vice Chair of the Gorbachev Foundation
Yoon: "A Pioneer Who Established the Framework for Korea-Russia Friendly Cooperation through Korea-Soviet Diplomatic Relations"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] President Yoon Suk-yeol sent a condolence message to Irina Virganskaya, Vice Chairwoman of the Gorbachev Foundation and daughter of Mikhail Gorbachev, former President of the Soviet Union, who passed away at the age of 91.

According to an official from the Presidential Office, President Yoon stated in the condolence message, "The late leader was a pioneer who ended the Cold War era of confrontation and conflict, led reconciliation and peace, and laid a solid foundation for friendly and cooperative relations between Korea and Russia through the historic Korea-Soviet diplomatic relations established in 1990."

President Yoon also mourned, "We will long remember and uphold the late leader's decisiveness, leadership, and legacy of freedom and peace."

Former President Gorbachev passed away at the Central Clinical Hospital in Russia after a long battle with illness.

Following the death of former President Gorbachev, world leaders have expressed their condolences through statements.

Ant?nio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, expressed his condolences on the UN website on the 30th (local time), saying, "On behalf of the United Nations, I sincerely extend my condolences to Gorbachev's family, the people, and the government of the Russian Federation. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 and said, 'Peace is not the integration of similarities but the integration of diversity.' He pursued negotiation, reform, transparency, and disarmament, putting this important insight into practice."

U.S. President Joe Biden also mourned the passing of Mikhail Gorbachev, former President of the Soviet Union, who played a key role in ending the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, calling him a courageous leader.

In his statement, President Biden said, "Gorbachev was a person of extraordinary insight. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and all who benefited from his belief in a better world."

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Union (EU) Commission, also expressed her condolences on Twitter, recalling that former President Gorbachev was a respected leader who opened the path to a free Europe.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.