(2nd LD) Gov't sends emergency response team to Nepal over 9 missing S. Koreans after massive floods

On August 27, the South Korean government dispatched a joint emergency response team to Nepal in an effort to assist with the search and rescue mission for nine missing South Koreans. The nine individuals – comprising six employees from Doosan Enerbility Co. and three workers from the state-run power generation company, Korea South-East Power Co. – went missing while working at a hydropower plant construction site in Nepal's Rasuwa district. The incident occurred after a massive flash flood and mudslide struck the region on Wednesday.

Separately, 10 other Doosan workers who had been stranded in the area were confirmed to be safe but remained awaiting rescue. They had evacuated the site along with approximately 200 foreign employees working on the construction project.

A 11-member rapid response team, consisting of officials from the foreign ministry, police, and fire authorities, departed for Nepal on Thursday. The team is expected to arrive in Kathmandu that evening and will collaborate closely with the embassy in Nepal and Nepalese authorities to search for and rescue the missing South Koreans.

As tourism is a significant industry in Nepal, with around 20,000 South Koreans visiting annually, officials are also monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of other South Korean nationals.

Both Doosan and the power generation company have established their own emergency response teams and dispatched additional field response teams to the accident site. However, the extent of the rescue efforts remains uncertain due to the challenging access conditions in the affected area, which has been severely damaged by the flooding. Further discussions with Nepalese authorities are necessary to determine the course of action.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun indicated that the government is prepared to send a larger-scale rescue team to Nepal if required. He stated that the initial deployment would serve as an advance team and that additional personnel would likely number in the dozens.

President Lee Jae Myung convened an emergency meeting on Thursday, emphasizing the need to safeguard the lives and safety of the people by mobilizing all available resources. The incident has resulted in a death toll of at least 165 and 826 people missing, many of whom are foreigners. The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed that a glacial collapse and debris flow were responsible for the devastating impacts downstream.