Kathmandu: South Korea will engage in close consultation with Nepal regarding the resumption of search and rescue operations in the country, as stated by the chief of Seoul's second contingent of its disaster relief team, which was dispatched to Kathmandu. The announcement was made on Saturday amidst ongoing efforts to address the aftermath of recent natural disasters.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Yoon Chu-sok, the deputy chief of mission at the South Korean Embassy in Washington, emphasized the government's recognition of the distress experienced by families of the missing individuals. He assured that through a seamless transition from the first contingent, efforts would be maximized to fulfill their mission. Yoon arrived in Kathmandu to lead the second contingent of the Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT).
Yoon highlighted the necessity for additional search and rescue operations to be coordinated with Nepalese authorities. The current eight-member contingent, notably smaller than the initial 44-member team, is also tasked with consulting not only Nepalese authorities but also international organizations to devise plans for reconstruction and recovery efforts.
The urgency of these operations stems from the disappearance of nine South Koreans-six employees from Doosan Enerbility Co. and three from Korea South-East Power Co.-following massive floods and landslides in Rasuwa District near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26. They were working at a hydropower plant construction site when the disaster struck.