Nine Koreans missing after catastrophic flooding in Nepal

Nine Korean employees working at a hydropower plant in Nepal's Rasuwa District have gone missing following devastating flash floods that struck the region. The employees, affiliated with Korea South-East Power and Doosan Enerbility, could not be reached after the severe flooding on Wednesday morning. The situation is compounded by another ten Korean employees of Doosan Enerbility who are stranded at the site and awaiting rescue.

South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the developing situation, initially reporting eight unaccounted for before updating the number to nine later that evening. "I plan to speak on the phone with the Nepalese foreign minister tomorrow and ask for cooperation," stated Foreign Minister Cho Hyun during an emergency meeting. A consul has already been dispatched to the scene.

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I plan to speak on the phone with the Nepalese foreign minister tomorrow and ask for cooperation.

In response, the South Korean government is preparing to send a joint rapid response team to Nepal on Thursday. This team will comprise officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Fire Agency, and the National Police Agency, aiming to bolster search and rescue operations. Doosan Enerbility and other involved companies are also planning to dispatch their own emergency response teams.

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Prioritize the lives and safety of Korean citizens and mobilize all available resources to find and rescue the missing.

President Lee Jae Myung has issued an urgent directive to "prioritize the lives and safety of Korean citizens and mobilize all available resources to find and rescue the missing." He further instructed the government to "work closely with the Nepalese government and local authorities, provide support to the families of the missing, and take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of other Koreans in the area and prevent further harm."

The flash floods, initially suspected to be caused by landslides, are now believed to have resulted from a glacial collapse. As of Thursday morning, the death toll in Nepal had tragically reached 160, with over 400 travelers, including 341 foreign nationals, reported missing.

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Work closely with the Nepalese government and local authorities, provide support to the families of the missing, and take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of other Koreans in the area and prevent further harm.