South Korea on Sunday strongly condemned a terrorist attack that took place last week at a restaurant in Bangladesh, vowing to join global efforts to eradicate terrorism.

A total of 22 people, including two police officers, have been killed after a group of gunmen on Friday stormed the restaurant in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka and took scores of customers and restaurant workers as hostages.

South Korea's foreign ministry said the government cannot hide its shock and anger over the attack in Bangladesh, expressing condolences to the victims of the assault and their surviving families.

"The government firmly believes that no terrorist attack can be justified as it is a crime against humanity that should be rooted out," ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck said in a statement. "We will actively join the international community's efforts to eradicate terrorism." (Yonhap)