Foreign Affairs Committee "Exploring National Assembly-Level Support... Seeking Cooperation With Nepalese Parliament"

Ruling and Opposition Foreign Affairs Committee Members
Visit Ministry of Foreign Affairs
to Review Nepal Flood Response Efforts

As the search continues for the nine Koreans who have gone missing as a result of the devastating floods in Nepal, the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 31, 2026, to check on the government’s response efforts. The committee stated it would explore measures at the parliamentary level to support the search, including allocating personnel, equipment, and budget resources. They also announced plans to seek cooperation with the Nepalese parliament through parliamentary diplomacy.

Song Seokjun, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee of the People Power Party, is speaking at a briefing on the Nepal floods held by the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on August 31, 2026. Photo by Jo Yongjoon

After receiving a briefing on the Nepal flood response at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of August 31, Song Seokjun, chairman of the committee, told reporters that support measures through parliamentary diplomacy were "currently under review."

He added, "At the parliamentary level, we will consider how we can best support the government, and, together with the Nepali parliament, ensure close cooperation on important decisions and in areas of need. We will spare no effort to stabilize the situation."

Earlier that morning, Song and eight other members of both the ruling and opposition parties received a closed-door briefing at the Overseas Safety Crisis Management Center from First Vice Minister Park Yoonjoo, Second Vice Minister Kim Jina, and others on South Korean casualties and the current status of the government’s response.

Following the briefing, Song commented on the current search efforts: "Even though all available resources have been deployed to the site, rescue operations are not yet underway. Due to the risk of further landslides and possible confusion caused by the concentration of personnel and equipment from multiple countries, the Nepalese government is strictly controlling access to the affected areas."

He continued, "The search is mainly being carried out by Nepal itself, and rescue operations by Korea and other concerned countries have not yet begun in earnest." Regarding China and India’s involvement, he added, "So far, their search efforts are confined to tunnel rescue operations only."

Hong Giwon, secretary of the Democratic Party, stated, "Whether by air or by land, any search activities on site must be authorized by the Nepalese authorities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the local embassy are actively engaging with their Nepalese counterparts to facilitate these efforts."

Representative Ko Dongjin of the People Power Party explained that Nepal’s prioritization of support from China and India stems from confusion experienced in 2015, when the country tried to manage offers of simultaneous assistance from numerous countries after the earthquake. He said that Korea also has ready equipment and military aircraft, and through today’s visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he confirmed that government delegations and representatives of Doosan Enerbility and Korea South-East Power have the capability to mobilize quickly at the site if needed.

Prior to the day’s briefing, the committee called on the government to verify the safety and enable a swift rescue of the nine missing Koreans as soon as possible. Song urged, "We request that every effort be made to confirm the status and ensure the prompt rescue of the nine individuals who remain unaccounted for."

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