Lee orders 'all-out' search and rescue for Koreans missing in Nepal floods

President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday ordered authorities to mobilize every available resource to search for and rescue South Korean nationals reported missing in Nepal following flooding there.

Lee issued the emergency directive after receiving a report Wednesday afternoon that South Koreans working on a hydroelectric power plant construction project in Nepal had gone missing in the floods, Cheong Wa Dae chief spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a press notice.

"Work closely with the Nepali government and local authorities, and spare no effort to support the families of the missing and ensure the safety of our nationals currently in the area," Lee said, adding that authorities should also "do their utmost to prevent further casualties."