Details in a press release show that The Republic of Korea’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cho Hyun, held a telephone conversation with Shisir Khanal, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal, on Thursday, August 27th (the statement does not mention a time). The two Ministers discussed the damage caused by the floods that struck Nepal on Wednesday, August 26th, and Minister Cho requested the Nepalese government’s keen attention to and support for the search and rescue of Korean nationals. This immediate response highlights Seoul’s prioritization of its citizens’ safety following catastrophic natural disasters.
Context
The conversation followed Wednesday’s devastating floods in Nepal’s Rasuwa region, which prompted a request from Minister Cho for assistance with the search and rescue efforts. The statement does not mention the scale of the disaster but indicates that nine Korean nationals are currently out of contact and ten have evacuated awaiting rescue. Minister Khanal briefed Minister Cho on the extent of damage within the affected area and ongoing response procedures. The Republic of Korea will provide humanitarian aid amounting to USD1 million through international organizations operating on the ground, as a swift initial response.
What to Watch
Should the visit yield information regarding the whereabouts of the nine missing Korean nationals, Seoul is prepared to mobilize all available resources. The statement does not mention any specific timeline for deploying a Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT), but Minister Cho indicated that the government will consider and arrange its prompt dispatch. The Korean government intends to coordinate closely with local authorities through the existing KDRT dispatched earlier in the day, requesting active cooperation from the Nepalese government for seamless operations. The two Ministers agreed to maintain close communication and cooperation between the two governments regarding this ongoing situation.
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