Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Aug. 1 thanks members of the Korea Disaster Relief Team dispatched to fight wildfires in the province of Quebec on the plane to return them home. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
By Charles Audouin
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has thanked in person the Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) on the plane returning the contingent home after members battled wildfires in the province of Quebec.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul on Aug. 2 said he made a surprise visit the day before to the KDRT’s transport plane while it was awaiting takeoff from Ottawa International Airport.
After saying “thank you” in Korean, he walked around the cabin and said bye to members.
Later that day, Prime Minister Trudeau posted a video of his surprise farewell on X (formerly Twitter). “They came from Korea and spent the last few weeks battling wildfires in Quebec,” he said in introducing the KDRT. “On behalf of all Canadians, I want to thank them for their heroic work.”
President Yoon Suk Yeol on Aug. 2 also shared the video on his X account. “I greatly appreciate Justin Trudeau’s surprise visit to the airport to bid the KDRT a bon voyage as they return to Korea,” he said in his post. “Through the operations of the Korean and Canadian firefighters, we have reached another milestone in our long-standing friendship.”
From July 4-30, the KDRT fought wildfires raging in the Quebec city of Lebel-sur-Quevillon, making Korea the first Asian country to send a relief team for this mission.
caudouin@korea.kr
