Second Korean Relief Team Arrives in Nepal... Search and Rescue Operations Underway

KDRT Second Team Arrives in Kathmandu Along with Relief Supplies

Relief Team Led by Yoon Jooseok, Minister at the Embassy of Korea in the United States, for a Seven-Day Mission

The second team of the Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) arrived in Nepal on September 11 (local time) to assist with reconstruction and recovery efforts in areas affected by the massive flooding.

Yonhap News

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the second KDRT team departed on a military transport plane, KC-330, at approximately 2:55 a.m. and arrived at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu at around 8:45 a.m. (local time) on the same day. Relief supplies donated by Korean NGOs and companies, including tents, winter clothing, and blankets worth approximately 180 million won, were also transported on the flight.

The second KDRT team is comprised of eight members, with two representatives each from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Fire Agency, Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and National Medical Center. In coordination with the Nepalese military authorities, these members will conduct search and rescue operations within the possible scope. Additionally, they will conduct preliminary assessments in consultation with the Nepalese government and international organizations to develop the direction for the Korean government's support in Nepal's reconstruction and recovery.

Yoon Jooseok, Minister at the Embassy of Korea in the United States, is leading the second relief team with a field mission period of seven days. Yoon is scheduled to arrive separately in Nepal on September 12, and until then, Lee Gyooho, Director-General for Development Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and captain of the first relief team, will be acting as the leader of the second team.

The first KDRT team, which was dispatched with 44 members on September 2, departed Nepal on September 11 and will return to Korea in the morning of September 12. After their return, the government will continue to cooperate with Nepalese authorities, centering on the Embassy of Korea in Nepal.

From September 12, the government’s joint rapid response team will be renamed the “Government Joint Response Team” and restructured to include seven members from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Police Agency, and National Forensic Service. Additional personnel may be dispatched or replaced as necessary.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be responsible for supporting the families of the Korean Embassy in Nepal and, if needed, provide support for the activities of the second KDRT team. Members from the National Police Agency and National Forensic Service will work jointly with Nepalese personnel at the Nepal Central Forensic Science Laboratory, assisting with identification of the deceased and related tasks.

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