Who are the nine Koreans missing in Nepal floods and where were they working?

The missing Koreans are six employees of Doosan Enerbility Co. and three employees of Korea South-East Power Co. They disappeared while working at the Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower plant construction site in Nepal's Rasuwa district.

Why did Korea dispatch a disaster relief team to Nepal after the floods?

The team was sent to bolster the intensive search for the nine missing Koreans and other victims missing in the floods and landslides. It will work with Nepali authorities and the government emergency response team on search-and-rescue operations.

What equipment did the Korean relief team bring to the Nepal flood search operation?

The team brought five rescue dogs and advanced equipment including high-resolution drones, buried-victim detection devices that use sound and video, and thermal imaging detectors. Officials said the deployment is expected to last about 10 days, though it may be extended depending on conditions.

Intensive search under way for 9 Koreans missing in Nepal floods

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Summary

A Korean disaster relief team arrived in Nepal on Wednesday to help intensify the search for nine Koreans missing after floods and landslides, the foreign ministry said. The 44-member team includes personnel from the ministry, KOICA and fire authorities, and brought rescue dogs and advanced detection equipment. The missing Koreans disappeared on Aug. 26 at the Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower plant site in Rasuwa district. Officials said the deployment may last about 10 days and could be extended.

Key Facts

The 44-member Korea Disaster Relief Team arrived in Kathmandu aboard an Air Force KC-330 Cygnus multirole tanker transport aircraft.
The team brought five rescue dogs and equipment including high-resolution drones, sound- and video-based buried-victim detectors and thermal imaging detectors.
The nine missing Koreans are six employees of Doosan Enerbility Co. and three employees of Korea South-East Power Co.
Rescue workers reached Dhunche in Rasuwa district, about 2 kilometers from the weir of the UT-1 hydropower plant, to continue joint searches with the Nepalese military.
As of Tuesday, more than 1,000 people had been killed and nearly 4,500 remained missing in the disaster, according to foreign media reports.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 2, 2026 11:54 am KST

Members of a Korean government rapid response team speak with Nepali military officials at a Nepalese military base in Dhunche, Rasuwa district, Nepal, Wednesday, as they conduct searches for nine South Koreans who remain out of contact following massive floods in the country. Yonhap

A Korean disaster relief team arrived in Nepal on Wednesday to help bolster the ongoing intensive search for nine Koreans and other victims missing in massive floods and landslides, the foreign ministry said.

The 44-member Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT), comprising personnel from the ministry, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and fire authorities, arrived in Kathmandu earlier in the day aboard an Air Force KC-330 Cygnus multirole tanker transport aircraft, according to the ministry.

"The team plans to conduct search-and-rescue operations in cooperation with Nepali authorities and our dispatched government emergency response team," a ministry official said.

"Its deployment is scheduled to last about 10 days but may be extended depending on conditions at the site," he added.

The KDRT brought five rescue dogs and various types of advanced equipment, including high-resolution drones, devices for detecting buried victims through sound and video and thermal imaging detectors.

The nine Koreans went missing after massive floods hit Nepal's Rasuwa district on Aug. 26 while they were working at the Upper Trishuli-1 (UT-1) hydropower plant construction site. Six were employees of Doosan Enerbility Co. and three of Korea South-East Power Co.

The emergency response team, along with corporate teams, has been mobilizing helicopters, drones, search dogs and other available means to search for signs of survivors despite the extensive search area, rugged terrain and debris and mud hampering movement.

A Korean disaster relief team arrives at Kathmandu's airport, Wednesday, to support search and rescue efforts for nine Koreans who remain unaccounted for following massive flooding in the country. Yonhap

Rescue workers have reached Dhunche in Rasuwa district, one of the areas hardest hit by the floods, to comb through the affected site. Dhunche is about 2 kilometers from the weir, the upper dam of the UT-1 hydropower plant.

"The response team will remain in Dhunche and continue conducting joint helicopter, drone and ground searches with the Nepalese military today," another ministry official said.

"We are also consulting with the Nepalese authorities on such options as tracking the missing persons' mobile phone locations. We are gathering information on the locations where the missing people are believed to be, while speaking with Nepalese survivors and local officials," he added.

Doosan Enerbility has also been conducting helicopter searches while using high-performance drones. The company plans to conduct a detailed analysis of video footage recorded during aerial searches.

Korea South-East Power has been using drones and search-and-rescue dogs and is considering sending additional personnel to support operations at the site, company officials said.

As of Tuesday, more than 1,000 people had been killed and nearly 4,500 remained missing following the disaster, according to foreign media reports.

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