Families of South Koreans missing in Nepal floods seek urgent helicopter access

Nine employees from Doosan Enerbility and Korea South-East Power went missing while working on a hydropower project in Nepal, after a glacier-triggered flash flood struck the area on Wednesday. The families of the missing workers are urgently seeking helicopter access to assist in the search, as rescuers have lost critical time more than 48 hours after the disaster.

The relatives of Doosan Enerbility employees expressed frustration over the lack of visible progress and requested that search footage and updates be shared promptly. They also urged South Korea to exert more pressure on Nepalese authorities for active support. A rapid response team from South Korea arrived in Kathmandu on Thursday night, but is still awaiting flight clearance to reach the affected area.

Nepal's military has restricted private helicopter operations due to concerns of further flooding. Nepal's government has stated that it does not require foreign assistance for search-and-rescue operations and is managing the rescue efforts internally. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has ordered an all-out response to the disaster.

Doosan Enerbility CEO Jeong Yeon-in and Korea South-East Power's Yoon Jang-hyun both emphasized the companies' commitment to rescuing their employees and securing their safe return.