8 South Koreans missing after Nepal floods; President Lee orders all-out rescue

Floods in Nepal have left a group of South Korean nationals unaccounted for, prompting President Lee Jae-myung to order an all-out response to secure their safety.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, flooding struck the Rasuwa region of Nepal on Wednesday (local time), cutting off contact with eight South Korean employees of Korea South-East Power and Doosan Enerbility who were building a hydroelectric power plant in the area.

The Nepali government has dispatched a rescue team composed of army and police personnel to the affected area to conduct search and rescue operations.

Ten other South Korean nationals affiliated with Doosan Enerbility remain stranded at the site awaiting rescue, and the Nepali government has sent helicopters to reach them.

The South Korean Embassy in Kathmandu notified the Nepali government of the missing nationals immediately upon learning of the incident, requested swift and active search and rescue efforts, and dispatched a consular official to the scene.

The government has established an overseas nationals protection task force headed by the foreign minister. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said a joint government rapid-response team comprising officials from the ministry, the National Fire Agency and the Korean National Police Agency will be deployed to Nepal in the shortest possible time, in line with President Lee's order for an all-out response.