"All-Out Efforts for Search and Rescue"... Government Rapid Response Team Dispatched Locally

[Anchor]

President Lee Jae-myung received a briefing on the situation in Nepal and issued directives to mobilize all available means to focus wholly on searching for and rescuing the missing persons. The government is dispatching a rapid response team composed of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Fire Agency, and the Korean National Police Agency to the site today (August 27).

Reporter Kim Ayeong has the details.

[Reporter]

Starting at 10:30 PM last night, a meeting of the Overseas Koreans Protection Countermeasures Headquarters was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Seoul, presided over by Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and attended by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Korean National Police Agency.

Minister Cho stated that immediately after learning of the situation where South Korean nationals lost contact locally due to floods in Nepal, he requested immediate rescue operations from Nepali authorities.

[Cho Hyun / Minister of Foreign Affairs: Ever since recognizing this accident, the (South Korean) Embassy in Nepal immediately requested rescue operations, and the Nepali government has stated that it has mobilized the army and police for rescue operations.]

Minister Cho conveyed that President Lee Jae-myung instructed them to cooperate closely with the Nepali government and local authorities to support the families of the citizens who have lost contact and to take every possible measure to secure the safety of our citizens on the ground.

The number of missing South Korean nationals has increased to 9 from the 8 initially announced by the government.

The government understands that another 10 South Korean nationals affiliated with Doosan Enerbility have evacuated locally alongside about 200 foreign employees, including Nepali nationals, and are awaiting rescue.

A consul from the South Korean Embassy in Nepal was hastily dispatched to the accident site and explained that these 10 individuals have been confirmed to be currently safe.

The government's rapid response team, headed by Lim Sang-woo, Consul for Overseas Koreans Protection, will be dispatched to the site today.

Departing from Incheon this afternoon and transiting through Hong Kong, they will arrive in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, this evening local time.

Minister Cho plans to hold a telephone conversation with the Foreign Minister of Nepal within today to request swift search and rescue operations by the Nepali government for our citizens.

(Video by: Park Hyun-chul)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.