Government: Korea Disaster Relief Team in Nepal Preparing to Return, Second Team Deployment Underway

The government announced today (the 9th) that the Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT), dispatched to Nepal on the 2nd to search for missing persons from the severe flooding, is preparing to return home and is making preparations to dispatch a second team.

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the remarks in Nepal today, stating that the KDRT is preparing to return in accordance with a resolution by the Public-Private Joint Overseas Emergency Relief Council.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "The first KDRT contingent is scheduled to return to South Korea as planned on the 11th via a military transport aircraft, the KC-330," adding that the original deployment period for the first team was ten days.

The KC-330 heading to Nepal to bring back the first team is scheduled to transport and deliver relief supplies, such as blankets, clothing, and tents, donated to domestic companies by civic groups.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also stated that it is pursuing the dispatch of a second KDRT contingent to continue search operations.

Specific details, such as the schedule and size of the second team's deployment, will be announced after being finalized by the Public-Private Joint Emergency Relief Council.

However, since it is considered efficient for the second team to board the KC-330 heading to Nepal to bring back the first team and deploy to the field, such a rotation schedule is likely to be pursued.

The first KDRT contingent established a base camp in Battar, Bagmati Province, in the central-northern region—the site of the severe flooding—and has been conducting search operations at locations including the Upper Trishuli-1 (UT-1) hydroelectric power plant construction site, where nine missing South Korean nationals had been working.

The government's joint rapid response team, which was dispatched to Nepal ahead of the KDRT, will continue to carry out duties in cooperation with the South Korean Embassy in Nepal, such as collaborating with Nepali authorities and supporting the families of the missing South Koreans.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.