It has been confirmed that nine out of ten South Koreans who were stranded due to flooding in Nepal have been moved to safe areas.

Nepali military and police are continuing their search for nine other South Koreans with whom contact has been lost, but their whereabouts remain unconfirmed.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that nine of the ten Doosan Enerbility South Korean employees who had been stranded since the 26th due to the floods in Nepal were transported to safety via a Nepali military helicopter.

The helicopter made four trips back and forth to sequentially transport them, and all nine completely evacuated to a safe area at around 5:00 p.m. today (the 27th).

They plan to stay in a safe area and move to Kathmandu tomorrow (the 28th).

The remaining individual, the Doosan Enerbility site manager, chose to stay behind at the location, stating that he would remain until all local employees are rescued.

A consul and an administrative official dispatched in a rush by the South Korean Embassy in Nepal also stayed behind with the site manager.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official explained, "We are arranging additional helicopters, but operations are difficult after sunset, making it hard to predict the exact timing of transportation."

The location where the ten stranded individuals were staying is where local staff mainly work and lodge, and the ministry conveyed that there were no major issues during the period of being stranded as they had water and food supplies.

This area was a certain distance away from the flooded river and relatively high in elevation, suffering no direct damage. However, as roads were washed out by the floods, it was accessible only by helicopter.

Meanwhile, the whereabouts of the nine South Koreans affiliated with Doosan Enerbility and Korea South-East Power, with whom contact was lost, remain unconfirmed.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs first learned from Doosan Enerbility at around 9:00 a.m. yesterday (the 26th, local time) that five South Korean employees had lost contact.

Later, at around 1:00 p.m. on the same day, it was confirmed that three South Korean employees belonging to Korea South-East Power had also lost contact. With the subsequent confirmation of one additional Doosan Enerbility employee who had acquired South Korean nationality, the total number of individuals out of contact increased to nine.

They are presumed to have been in an area where offices and accommodations mainly used by South Koreans are located.

The area suffered direct flood damage, and local reports indicated that accommodations and other facilities were washed away, according to the ministry.

However, it has not been verified whether all nine individuals were actually inside the building or at another location when the floods occurred.

The ministry stated that while the Nepali military and police are conducting search operations on the ground, searching at night is difficult due to the rugged mountainous terrain.

The ministry is in daily contact with the families of those out of contact, explaining the progress of search and rescue operations as well as government responses.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun spoke on the phone today (the 27th) with Nepali Minister for Foreign Affairs Arzu Rana Deuba (Note: or Sisir Khanal based on text, keeping literal: Sisir Khanal) and requested that the Nepali government pay special attention and provide support for the prompt and safe search and rescue of South Korean nationals.

The South Korean government also dispatched a joint rapid response team consisting of 11 personnel from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Police Agency, and the National Fire Agency to Nepal today (the 27th), and they are scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu tonight local time.

They are expected to assess the local search and rescue situation and continue discussions with the Nepali government.

The government is also reviewing the dispatch of an overseas emergency relief team.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that an overseas emergency relief team is an organization dispatched for the purpose of humanitarian aid rather than rescuing specific country's citizens, but it can also participate in the search and rescue of South Koreans during its local activities.

Reported by Choi Jae-yeong