President Lee Orders Appointment of Officer for Nepal Victims' Families, Continuous Sharing of Search Updates

President Lee Jaemyung has ordered the appointment of a dedicated public affairs officer to continuously provide updates on search and rescue efforts for the families of our citizens who have lost contact due to the floods in Nepal.

Kang Yoojung, Chief Presidential Spokesperson, said in a briefing at Chunchugwan that President Lee presided over an 'emergency meeting on the response to the situation of Korean nationals affected by the Nepal floods' at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul and issued these instructions.

Yonhap News Agency

President Lee stated, "First, dispatch rescue personnel to the site as quickly as possible, and closely coordinate with the companies involved to thoroughly address all requests from the families of employees who are isolated or unaccounted for, such as requests for meetings." He continued, "Designate an official dedicated to supporting the related families, and appoint a public affairs officer to continuously share updates on the search and rescue process, ensuring that the families feel fully supported and their concerns are addressed with care."

During his opening remarks at the meeting, President Lee also said, "With the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the lead, I ask all relevant ministries, our embassy on-site, the rapid response team currently en route, and Korean businesses operating locally to mobilize all available personnel and resources."

President Lee stressed, "Cooperation with the Nepali government is particularly crucial," and went on to say, "I ask that all diplomatic channels be utilized to ensure that the necessary resources are deployed for the search and rescue." He added, "It would be beneficial to review in advance any personnel or support measures we can offer the Nepalese government."

President Lee further mentioned, "This is surely a distressing situation for the victims there, those in hiding, and their families. Please be attentive to their mental state and circumstances, and provide them with support." He also conveyed his deepest condolences to the Nepalese government and people, adding, "I hope every effort will be made to ensure there are no shortcomings in our humanitarian assistance."

On August 26 (local time), nine Korean nationals went missing following a flood that struck near the Rasuwa Gadhi border area in Rasuwa District, Bagmati Province, Nepal. These citizens are employees of Korea South-East Power and Doosan Enerbility, who were working on a hydroelectric power plant project in the area.

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