Seoul says about 20,000 South Koreans visit Nepal annually as it checks for more casualties

The South Korean government said Thursday it is continuing to check whether any additional South Korean nationals have been harmed in the floods in Nepal's Rasuwa district, noting that about 20,000 South Koreans travel to Nepal for tourism each year. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the announcement through its spokesperson's office.

The ministry said no additional casualties involving South Korean nationals had been reported beyond the nine who remain out of contact and the 10 awaiting rescue. It added that there was no new information to share regarding the nine individuals who have not been reached.

The ministry also said an 11-member joint rapid-response team — led by the ministry's representative for overseas Korean protection and consular affairs and comprising officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Korean National Police Agency and the National Fire Agency — was dispatched to Nepal on Thursday afternoon.