South Korea's vice foreign minister visited the Italian Embassy in Seoul Tuesday to offer his condolences to the victims of the 6.2-magnitude quake that rocked the European country last week, the ministry said.

The death toll from the earthquake, which hit central Italy on Aug. 24, reached about 290, with the number expected to rise as more bodies are being found in the rubble.

The disaster also left thousands of people homeless.

Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam expressed his deepest sorrow for the earthquake victims during his visit to the Italian mission, according to the ministry.

Vice Foreign Minister for Multilateral Affairs Cho Tae-yul also visited the German Embassy in Seoul to extend condolences for the death of former German President Walter Scheel, who served a five-year term from 1974. (Yonhap)