Nepal Agrees to Cooperate with On-Foot Search in Area Where Nine South Koreans Are Missing

[Financial News]  

Nepal’s government has changed its position and agreed to cooperate with on-foot searches in the area where nine South Koreans are missing.
According to the government’s joint rapid response team on July 7 (local time), Nepalese authorities said they would cooperate by allowing searches in areas of interest to the families of the missing South Koreans.
Search arrangements are being discussed with the Nepal Army at the site, and the search is expected to take place on July 8.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun reportedly presented Shisir Khanal, Nepal’s foreign minister, with a map showing the area where the nine South Koreans went missing during their meeting the previous day. He emphasized the locations where the families wanted the search to be conducted.
The Nepal Army had earlier opposed an on-foot search, saying it was “dangerous.” It rejected a proposal by the Korean Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) to conduct an on-foot search in Ramche, Rasuwa, Bagmati Province, about 2 kilometers from the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project camp where the missing South Koreans had been staying. The area is known to be a steep mountainous region with slopes approaching 90 degrees.
The death toll from the massive floods that struck the upper reaches of the Himalayas on June 26 had reached 1,355 in Nepal alone as of July 7. Including the 43 deaths in China’s neighboring Xizang Autonomous Region, the overall death toll stands at 1,398.
The number of missing people has reached 5,515 in total, including 4,996 in Nepal and 519 in Tibet.
Meanwhile, Nepal commemorated the victims on a national day of mourning, with flags flown at half-staff at all government buildings and diplomatic missions. July 7, the 13th day since the massive floods, marks the final day of the mourning period in traditional Nepalese funerals.
[email protected] Song Kyung-jae Reporter