A South Korean who has been missing in Indonesia since last week’s earthquake has been found dead, Seoul’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday.
The deceased, identified by the surname Lee, was found under the debris of the hotel where he was staying in Palu, which was hit by a tsunami.
Emergency personnel approach a collapsed hotel in Palu, Indonesia. Yonhap
Lee is the only South Korean identified to have been killed in the earthquake, which has so far claimed more than 1,420 lives.
“The body of the missing South Korean was found by the Indonesian authorities in the debris of Roa Roa Hotel,” a Foreign Ministry official said.
“The body was identified using physical traits of the missing person, and (the body) will be taken to a police hospital in Palu.”
According to reports, the victim had traveled to Sulawesi, which was devastated by a 7.5 magnitude quake and tsunami, from Bali. Lee is reported to have lived in Bali since 2010, working as a paragliding instructor.
By Choi He-suk (
cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)
