Search for 9 Missing South Koreans in Nepal Struggles as Military Bars On-Foot Searches

[Anchor]

More than 10 days have passed with no news of the nine South Korean nationals reported missing in the devastating floods in Nepal. Although the government rescue team dispatched to the site proposed conducting searches on foot in areas where the missing persons are believed to be, local authorities stated they will not permit it, citing safety risks.

Reporter Je Hui-won has the details.

[Reporter]

The government emergency rescue team deployed helicopters twice, at 8:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. yesterday (the 4th), to intensively search the main camp area in Ramche, which is considered a likely evacuation route for eight of the nine missing South Koreans.

Two rescue team members remained in the Dunche area near the weir dam, where one of the missing South Koreans is presumed to be, and conducted an overland search on their way down.

[Lee Kyu-ho / Head of South Korea's Emergency Rescue Team: We landed closest to the weir dam, the accident site, checked two tunnels there, and operated a drone afterward. We landed in the powerhouse area, took photos there as well....]

In response, the commander of the military unit in Battar reportedly remarked that the Ramche area has already been thoroughly searched five to six times by the Nepalese military, asking, "Do you not trust the Nepalese military?"

However, our rescue team stated that they persuaded the local authorities of the need for additional searches, as the whereabouts of the nine missing South Koreans remain unconfirmed.

Having failed to find meaningful clues even through helicopter and drone searches, the rescue team proposed entering the Ramche area directly to conduct a foot search where the missing persons are believed to be located, but Nepalese military authorities denied permission, citing the danger.

In fact, the area from the upper weir dam, where one of the missing South Koreans worked, down to the powerhouse containing the generator turbines is known to be a steep mountainous region nearing a 90-degree slope.

Due to the rugged terrain, it is difficult for rescue workers to enter the site on foot for close-up searches, and volatile weather is also hindering both aerial and ground search operations, leaving the families of the missing in agonizing suspense.

Currently, around 900 workers are missing across 12 hydroelectric facilities in Nepal, with an estimated 500 of them believed to be trapped inside tunnels.

Meanwhile, two Nepalese men were dramatically rescued from a hydroelectric plant tunnel whose entrance had been blocked after being swept away by rapid currents, raising hopes for the survival of the missing persons.

(Camera Reporter: Seol Chi-hwan, Kang Si-woo | Video Editor: Lee Sang-min)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.