South Korea sent a second disaster relief team to Nepal on Friday, carrying about 4 tons of humanitarian supplies. Nine South Koreans remain missing more than two weeks after devastating floods and landslides struck the country.
The eight-member Korea Disaster Relief Team departed from Gimhae Airport at 2:55 a.m. aboard an Air Force KC-330 military transport aircraft and was scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu at around 9 a.m., according to the Foreign Ministry.
The team comprises two officials each from the Foreign Ministry, the National Fire Agency and the Korea International Cooperation Agency, as well as two medical personnel. It will remain in Nepal for seven days.
Unlike the first 44-member contingent, which was largely focused on search-and-rescue operations, the second team will support reconstruction and recovery efforts as the Nepali government shifts its disaster response toward recovery. It will also continue supporting efforts to locate the missing South Koreans.
The aircraft carried about 4 tons of relief supplies worth 180 million won ($134,000), including blankets, winter clothing and tents donated by South Korean companies through nongovernmental organizations.
Meanwhile, the first KDRT contingent is scheduled to leave Nepal on Friday after completing its 10-day mission and arrive in South Korea on Saturday morning.
The 44-member team, including 37 firefighters, had conducted searches using drones, helicopters and other equipment in areas hit by the disaster.
Despite the operation, no trace of the nine missing South Koreans has been found.
The nine — six employees of Doosan Enerbility and three of Korea South-East Power — went missing on Aug. 26 while working at the Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower plant construction site in Rasuwa District near the Nepal-Tibet border.
The Foreign Ministry said search efforts would continue even after the first KDRT team leaves, with the second contingent working alongside South Korean government personnel remaining in Nepal, the South Korean Embassy, local authorities and corporate search teams.
A ministry official said large-scale search operations had become increasingly difficult due to the mountainous terrain, weather-related risks and concerns over infectious diseases.
“Despite the difficulties, we will continue search-and-rescue efforts,” the official said.
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