18 South Koreans Missing or Stranded Due to Nepal Floods... Foreign Minister Convenes Emergency Response Meeting (Comprehensive)

Eight Employees of Korea Southern Power and Doosan Enerbility Missing, Ten Stranded
Embassy Dispatches Consular Officer to Scene... Joint Government Rapid Response Team to Be Sent as Soon as Possible

On August 26, it was reported that eight South Koreans went missing and ten others were stranded after a flood in Nepal. The government immediately convened an emergency response meeting and plans to dispatch a rapid response team to provide on-site assistance.

EPA Yonhap News

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a flood occurred in the Rasuwa region of Nepal earlier that day (local time), leading to the disappearance of eight South Korean employees from Korea South-East Power and Doosan Enerbility, who were working on a hydroelectric power plant construction project in the area. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Nepalese government has deployed a rescue team composed of army and police personnel to the affected region, where they are currently conducting search and rescue operations.

Additionally, ten other South Koreans affiliated with Doosan Enerbility have become stranded locally and are awaiting rescue. The Nepalese government has dispatched a helicopter to rescue them.

The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Nepal immediately notified the Nepalese authorities of the disappearance of the eight South Koreans and urgently requested swift and proactive search and rescue efforts. A consular officer from the embassy was rapidly sent to the site.

Reuters Yonhap News

The government promptly established a Task Force for the Protection of Overseas Nationals, led by Foreign Minister Cho Hyun. A meeting, presided over by Minister Cho, will be held at 10:30 p.m. tonight. In addition, a government joint rapid response team composed of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Fire Agency, and the National Police Agency plans to be dispatched to the region as soon as possible.

Regarding the situation, President Lee Jaemyung urgently instructed that "all available resources should be mobilized to search for and rescue the missing individuals" and emphasized that "the lives and safety of our citizens must remain the top priority," according to Kang Yoojeong, Chief Spokesperson of the presidential office.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.