Nine of the 10 South Koreans stranded by flooding in Nepal's Rasuwa district have been moved to safety, officials confirmed on the 27th. President Lee Jae-myung postponed a meeting with senior secretaries to convene an emergency review session on the situation in Nepal, telling officials to "mobilize every available resource and do your utmost, on the understanding that there is no such thing as overreacting when it comes to protecting the lives and safety of our people."
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said nine of the 10 people who had been cut off by the flooding in Rasuwa and were awaiting rescue were airlifted to a safe area by Nepalese military helicopter. One site manager from Doosan Enerbility and two embassy staff — a consul and an administrative officer — remain on the ground. "No damage to our nationals has been reported beyond the nine who are missing," the ministry said, adding that it would continue to check for further harm to South Korean citizens.
Foreign media reported that flooding struck the Himalayan mountain region of north-central Nepal the previous day, killing 270 people and leaving about 1,300 missing. Nine South Koreans also lost contact. They were employees of Korea South-East Power and Doosan Enerbility, which were building a hydroelectric plant in the area.
The government dispatched a total of 11 personnel to Nepal that day to search for and rescue the nine missing nationals — four from the Foreign Ministry, two from the Korean National Police Agency and five from the National Fire Agency — led by Lim Sang-woo, the government representative for overseas Korean protection and consular affairs. The team departed through Incheon International Airport and arrived in Kathmandu.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told reporters at the Government Complex Seoul that with only five firefighting personnel on the team, "dozens may have to go" as reinforcements, describing the rapid response team as an advance party. A ministry official said the team would be briefed on conditions by the embassy before setting a specific direction for the search and rescue operation.
Chung Yeon-in, vice chairman and chief executive of Doosan Enerbility, spoke to reporters at Incheon International Airport while departing for Nepal. "We are working closely with the relevant authorities," he said. "We will do everything we can to rescue the employees we have not been able to reach." Doosan Enerbility set up a 40-member emergency response headquarters in South Korea after the employees went missing. Doosan Group said it would provide $5 million in emergency aid to support rescue and recovery efforts in the flood-hit Rasuwa district.
Lee postponed the scheduled meeting with senior secretaries and aides to preside over an emergency review session on harm to South Korean nationals. The session was attended by Cho, Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Kim Yun-duk, National Fire Agency Commissioner Choi Yong-chul and acting National Police Agency Commissioner General Yoo Jae-sung. "Mobilize all available personnel, with the Foreign Ministry at the center, including relevant agencies, the embassy on the ground and the rapid response team," Lee said. "Activate every diplomatic channel with the Nepalese government and negotiate actively so that the resources needed for the search and rescue are committed."
Lee received a briefing from Cho on consultations with the Nepalese government and on the government-wide response plan, and instructed that rescue personnel be sent to the site as quickly as possible. He also called for the designation of a dedicated officer to handle requests from families of employees who are stranded or out of contact, and of a public affairs officer to provide continuous updates on the progress of the search and rescue.
Lee also postponed a luncheon with Democratic Party lawmakers that had been scheduled for the 28th. The party had planned to hold the luncheon at Cheong Wa Dae at Lee's invitation after wrapping up a two-day lawmakers' workshop running from the 27th through the 28th. "This reflects the fact that all efforts are being devoted to securing the safety of our nationals," said Kang Yu-jung, senior presidential spokesperson.
