China will ask the Republic of Korea (ROK) to make the proper arrangements on relevant matters concerning the tragic fire at a battery factory in Hwaseong that killed and injured many Chinese nationals, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Wednesday.

It was reported that the ROK President Yoon Suk-yeol offered prayers for the lives lost in the deadly fire at a battery factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi-do on June 24 and the road accident in Seoul on July 1 while presiding over a cabinet meeting on July 2. The president issued instructions on investigation and safety measures. On the day of the fire, President Yoon visited the site and extended condolences and sympathies to the victims and their families.

In response, Mao said that in the wake of the fire in Hwaseong, ROK leaders, including President Yoon and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, extended condolences and sympathies over the lives lost and to the bereaved families on multiple occasions, and asked relevant departments to thoroughly investigate the causes of the fire and make every effort to properly handle related matters.

China is following closely the handling of the fire tragedy in the battery factory in Hwaseong that killed and injured many Chinese nationals, Mao noted.

"We will continue to maintain close communication with the ROK side and ask the ROK side to make proper arrangements on relevant matters and take concrete measures to prevent similar tragedies from happening again," the spokesperson said.