Search for missing Koreans
South Korean Foreign Minister visits Nepal to accelerate search for missing workers
Anonymous
Key Points
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Cho and Khanal had already spoken twice after the disaster. In an Aug. 31 call, Cho thanked Nepal for rescuing 10 South Koreans stranded in the affected area and requested “special cooperation” in the rapid search for the nine still missing.
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Cho is expected to ask Nepal to focus searches on the locations where the workers were believed to have last made contact and to provide military and logistical support, including assistance from the Nepalese military.
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The flooding began in the Bhote Koshi River basin, surged into the downstream Trishuli River and severely damaged several hydropower projects along the river corridor.
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Before departing, Cho said conditions were “very difficult” and said he would discuss South Korea’s possible participation in rebuilding affected areas, in addition to the immediate search effort.
South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun arrived in Nepal on September 5 to press the search for nine missing South Korean workers after devastating floods and landslides killed over 1,200 people on August 26. The missing workers—six from Doosan Enerbility and three from Korea South-East Power—were at a hydropower construction site in Rasuwa District near the Nepal-Tibet border when the Seoul Daily reports the Bhote Koshi River basin surged, triggering massive destruction along the Trishuli River corridor.
Cho promised to "speed up search efforts for our missing nationals so that they can be rescued alive," according to Korea Herald. South Korea has deployed a 44-member disaster relief team with search dogs, drones, and heavy equipment. Nepali authorities are also mobilizing military and logistical support, with efforts focusing on locations where the workers last made contact before going missing.
A Disaster That Swept Away Entire Camps
The August 26 flooding started in the Bhote Koshi River basin and surged downstream into the Trishuli River, destroying hydropower projects along its path. Ratopati reports that the Upper Trishuli-1 construction site where the Korean workers were stationed suffered severe damage, with access bridges, main camps, and powerhouses washed away. The disaster left Nepal reeling—over 1,200 confirmed deaths and nearly 6,000 people still missing across affected districts.
The region sits in a monsoon zone vulnerable to glacial lake outburst floods and intense rainfall. Nepal News notes that Foreign Minister Cho emphasized the need for international support, stating that developed nations hold "a historical responsibility" toward climate-vulnerable mountain countries like Nepal experiencing extreme disasters.
South Korea Deploys Advanced Search Teams and Equipment
Seoul moved fast. By August 27, President Lee Jae Myung convened an emergency meeting directing all available resources to Nepal. Korea Joong Ang Daily reports that South Korea dispatched an inter-agency rapid response team by August 30, followed by corporate search teams with thermal drones and helicopters. By September 2, the 44-member Korea Disaster Relief Team arrived with search dogs, heavy equipment, and forensic specialists.
The operation covers high-probability zones including riverbeds, deep project tunnels, and areas where last contact was made. On September 6—the day Cho met with Nepali Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal—teams successfully extracted a trapped Chinese national from a tunnel at the construction site, confirming ongoing life-detection operations in the wreckage.
Seoul Pledges Aid and Pushes Climate Accountability
South Korea committed Seoul Daily reports $94,000 in immediate emergency supplies and $1 million through the Red Cross. But Cho signaled bigger ambitions before departing for France to join President Lee. He said conditions were "very difficult" and vowed to discuss South Korea's participation in rebuilding affected areas, not just the immediate rescue.
Cho also reframed the disaster as a climate justice issue. Korea Herald notes he called for international financial compensation for developing nations hit hardest by climate disasters. South Korea and Nepal agreed to jointly advocate for Loss and Damage funds at upcoming UN Climate Conferences—linking the tragedy to broader demands for climate accountability from wealthy nations.
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