Who is included in Korea’s second disaster relief team to Nepal and when will it arrive?

The eight-member team includes foreign ministry officials, firefighters, KOICA personnel, medical staff and a small number of rescue personnel. It is scheduled to arrive in Nepal on Friday after departing aboard a KC-330 military transport aircraft.

Why is Korea sending a second relief team to Nepal after the floods?

Nepal has shifted its operations from search and rescue to reconstruction and recovery and asked Korea to support recovery efforts in the affected areas. The new team will focus mainly on reconstruction and recovery during its seven-day mission.

What happened to the first Korean relief team in Nepal and the missing workers?

The first 44-member KDRT will return home after its 10-day search-and-rescue mission, but no signs of the missing people have been found despite intensive searches with drones, helicopters and other equipment. Nine Koreans, six from Doosan Enerbility and three from Korea South-East Power, went missing on Aug. 26.

Korea to send 2nd disaster relief team to Nepal as flood response shifts to recovery

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Summary

Korea will send its second overseas emergency relief team to Nepal this week as the country shifts from search and rescue to recovery after devastating floods. The eight-member Korea Disaster Relief Team will arrive Friday and work on reconstruction and recovery during a seven-day mission. Nine Koreans remain missing, and the first 44-member team will return after its 10-day search mission. President Lee Jae Myung has told officials to listen to the families’ concerns.

Key Facts

The second Korea Disaster Relief Team will depart aboard a KC-330 military transport aircraft and arrive in Nepal on Friday.
The new team has eight members, including foreign ministry officials, firefighters, KOICA personnel, medical staff and a small number of rescue personnel.
Nine Koreans went missing on Aug. 26 after floods and landslides hit Rasuwa District near the Nepal-Tibet border.
The first 44-member KDRT team will return home after completing its 10-day search-and-rescue mission.
The ministry said Nepal has asked Korea to support recovery efforts in the affected areas after deciding to shift from search and rescue to reconstruction and recovery.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 10, 2026 3:17 pm KST
Updated Sep 10, 2026 3:59 pm KST

Vehicles loaded with equipment of the Korea Disaster Relief Team, dispatched to Nepal for search-and-rescue operations, move to Kathmandu from the team's base camp in Batar in the Nuwakot district, Wednesday. Yonhap

Korea will send its second overseas emergency relief team to Nepal this week to support the country's shift of its focus from search and rescue to recovery following devastating floods, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday.

The eight-member Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) will depart aboard a KC-330 military transport aircraft and arrive in Nepal on Friday, consisting of officials from the ministry, firefighters, Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) personnel and medical staff, according to the ministry.

The team, which also includes a small number of rescue personnel, will focus mainly on reconstruction and recovery operations during its seven-day mission, it added.

Nine Koreans — six employees of Doosan Enerbility and three of Korea South-East Power — went missing Aug. 26 after massive floods and landslides hit Rasuwa District near the Nepal-Tibet border while they were working at a hydropower plant construction site.

"Nepal has decided to shift its operations from search and rescue to reconstruction and recovery and has asked us to support recovery efforts in the affected areas," ministry spokesperson Park Doo-soon said at a press briefing.

The first 44-member contingent of the KDRT, which was dispatched to Nepal last week, will return home after wrapping up its 10-day search-and-rescue mission.

The KDRT, in cooperation with local authorities and corporate response teams, has conducted intensive searches using drones, helicopters and other advanced equipment, but no signs of the missing people have been found.

Families of three missing Korea South-East Power employees opposed the planned conclusion of the first KDRT team's mission, urging authorities to continue ground searches in areas where they believe the workers may have evacuated.

President Lee Jae Myung has instructed officials to listen carefully to the families' opinions and review necessary measures to reflect their wishes as much as possible, according to the presidential office.

"The government understands how anxious and frustrated the families must be. We will listen to their concerns and review measures to respect and reflect their wishes," Park added.

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