(3rd LD) 9 S. Koreans missing in Nepal floods; 10 others confirmed safe

Seoul's foreign ministry reported on August 26 that nine South Koreans remain missing after a devastating flood in Nepal, while 10 other nationals have been confirmed safe. The missing South Koreans were employees of Korea South-East Power Co. and Doosan Enerbility Co., who were constructing a hydropower plant in Nepal's Rasuwa district.

Initially, eight South Koreans were reported missing, but the figure was later corrected to nine. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun acknowledged that the 10 other South Koreans, affiliated with Doosan Enerbility, had evacuated with around 200 foreign workers, including Nepalese nationals, and were awaiting rescue. The South Korean consul, dispatched to the site, was among those confirmed safe.

The South Korean Embassy in Nepal alerted the Nepalese government to the missing South Koreans and requested an immediate search and rescue operation. President Lee Jae Myung directed authorities to mobilize all available resources for the urgent operation, according to senior presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung. A government response team, comprising officials from the foreign ministry, police, and fire departments, will travel to Nepal on Thursday.

The catastrophic floods struck near the Nepal-Tibet border, resulting in 19 deaths, hundreds of missing people, and extensive damage to villages and infrastructure. Among the missing were 384 tourists, including 291 foreigners; 105 of them were Indian nationals.