The South Korean home affairs minister apologized Thursday for a bus accident in China that killed 10 South Koreans, mostly government officials.
  
The bus, carrying 26 South Koreans, veered off a bridge in the northeastern Chinese city of Jian and fell into a river about 15 meters below on Wednesday as it was heading to the border city of Dandong.
  
The victims were part of a 140-person delegation of mainly government employees. The victims, nine of them public servants, were traveling in China on a training program organized by an institute affiliated with the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs.
 
"I offer a sincere apology to the people that the accident occurred while on a field trip," Minister of Security and Public Administration Chong Jong-sup said at press briefing on Thursday.
  
The victims were in China to tour historical sites, including places where Korean independence fighters resisted Japan's colonial rule before the end of World War II, according to the ministry.
  
Chong said that a South Korean consular official based in the nearby city of Shenyang has been dispatched to the scene of the accident.
  
"An emergency response team composed of 20 officials was also dispatched to the scene earlier in the day," Chong added. (Yonhap)