As contact has been lost with nine South Koreans following severe flooding near the Nepal-China border, South Korean Foreign Minister Jo Hyun met with Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Kunal on September 6 to request assistance in the search efforts.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Jo met with Minister Kunal for 45 minutes starting at 11 a.m. local time. This was the third communication between the two ministers since the flooding occurred on August 26.
Minister Jo expressed condolences to all those affected by the floods in Nepal and voiced deep concern over the continued uncertainty regarding the whereabouts of the nine missing South Koreans. He urged the Nepalese government to provide special attention and support to ensure thorough search operations.
Previously, the Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) requested a foot search in areas where the missing individuals are believed to be, but Nepalese authorities expressed concerns about the dangers involved, indicating a need for a solution.
Additionally, Minister Jo pledged 130 million won in material support and $1 million in humanitarian aid through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Minister Kunal reportedly expressed gratitude for this assistance.
Minister Jo has been in Nepal since September 5 for a three-day visit.
On the request of Nepal, the KDRT, which was dispatched to the area, rescued one Chinese survivor from the tunnel of the Upper Trishuli (UT)-1 hydropower construction site in the Bagmati Province on September 5, ten days after the flooding. This location is near where the nine South Koreans went missing.
A KDRT official stated, "Today, an additional team member who can speak English will be deployed for further searches in the tunnel," adding that the Nepalese military expressed appreciation for the KDRT's efforts after the tunnel search operation concluded.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that the KDRT plans to continue its search operations with ten members in the tunnel near the Weir Dam and three members using drones at the powerhouse. Additionally, the KDRT donated 262 body recovery bags, valued at 10 million won, to a Nepalese military unit in the Batar region, responding to local authorities' needs.
Meanwhile, after concluding his schedule in Nepal, Minister Jo will travel to France to assist President Lee Jae-myung as co-chair of the International Film and Video Summit, known as the Lumiere Summit.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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