Korea expresses condolences over passing of former German minister

South Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam on Wednesday expressed his "deepest condolences" over the death of Hans-Dietrich Genscher, Germany's former foreign minister and key architect of the country's 1990 reunification.

During his visit to the German Embassy in central Seoul, Lim wrote in the visitors' book, "His contributions to the unification of Germany will be remembered for long by the world, in particular by Korea."

Genscher died of a heart failure at his home in Wachtberg near Bonn on Thursday night (German time). He was 89.

Genscher served as foreign minister for 18 years from 1974 and is known for having played a central role in brokering an end to the decades-long division of his country. (Yonhap)