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

South Korea dispatches emergency team to Nepal following tragic flood disaster

Seoul, Aug. 27 (Yonhap) -- In a coordinated effort, the South Korean government has sent a joint emergency response team to Nepal to aid in the search and rescue mission for nine South Koreans who have gone missing due to massive floods. The team, comprising officials from the foreign ministry, police, and fire authorities, is set to arrive in Kathmandu on Thursday evening.

The nine South Koreans, six employees of construction firm Doosan Enerbility Co. and three from state-run power generation company Korea South-East Power Co., were working at a hydropower plant construction site in Nepal's Rasuwa district when the devastating flash flood and mudslide hit on Wednesday. Doosan and the power generation company have also formed their own emergency response teams and are preparing to dispatch field response teams to the affected area.

Meanwhile, a total of 10 other Doosan workers who had been stranded in the region have been confirmed safe, though they are still awaiting further rescue efforts. These workers had evacuated alongside around 200 foreign employees who were part of the construction project. The disaster has claimed the lives of at least 160 people and left 403 others missing, with 341 of those missing being foreigners.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has pledged to communicate with Nepal's foreign minister, requesting their cooperation in the search and rescue efforts. President Lee Jae Myung has ordered the government to employ all available resources to locate and rescue the missing individuals. The two Korean firms are currently constructing the Upper Trishuli-1 (UT-1) hydropower plant on the Trishuli River, situated approximately 70 kilometers northwest of Kathmandu.

Scheduled for completion and commercial operation by the end of the year, the project's progress is now expected to be significantly delayed due to the flood damage at the site. Industry experts have expressed concern over the impact of this disaster on the construction timeline and the overall project.