President Lee Convenes Emergency Meeting on Nepal Floods: "No Such Thing as Overreaction When It Comes to Citizens' Lives and Safety"

"Full Mobilization of Government Resources" to Rescue and Locate Missing Citizens
Activating Diplomatic Channels with Nepal... Assigning Dedicated Family Liaisons and Considering Humanitarian Aid

On August 27, President Lee Jae-myung convened an unscheduled emergency meeting in response to the critical situation facing South Korean nationals following the floods in Nepal, which have threatened their lives and safety. During the meeting, he ordered the government to mobilize all available resources to locate and rescue citizens who had lost contact.

President Lee Jae-myung is presiding over an emergency meeting on response to flood damage in Nepal at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Seoul on August 27, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News.

Through his official account on X (formerly Twitter) that day, President Lee stated, "I have instructed the full mobilization of all resources with a mindset that there is no such thing as an overreaction when it comes to protecting the lives and safety of our citizens." President Lee explained the reason for convening the emergency meeting, saying, "I am deeply concerned as the lives and safety of our citizens are in a very grave situation due to the floods in Nepal."

During the meeting, the Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Nepal participated via video conference, giving updates on the damage in the affected area, the status of roads and communications, and the progress of search and rescue operations by Nepalese authorities. Based on these reports, President Lee reviewed the local conditions and rescue environment.

President Lee emphasized, "The government will fully mobilize all its capabilities to rescue and locate our citizens who have lost contact, and we will thoroughly check to ensure that there are no additional citizens affected." The scope of the government’s response will be widened not only to local rescue efforts but also to verifying whether there are any further victims.

The administration has also decided to strengthen cooperation with the Government of Nepal. President Lee announced, "We will activate all diplomatic channels with the Nepalese government to ensure that the personnel and equipment needed for search and rescue operations are swiftly deployed, and we will actively consider providing any necessary humanitarian assistance."

A separate support system has been established for the families of citizens whose whereabouts remain unknown. President Lee added, "Above all, we will pay careful attention to the families who are anxiously awaiting news," and promised to "assign dedicated staff to ensure that there are no deficiencies in support and communication." President Lee also addressed those engaging in search and rescue operations on the ground, stating, "I ask that you do your utmost until the end with the resolve to protect the lives and safety of our people."

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