▲ People are gathered as a bulldozer clears mud and debris along a road in Nepal's Nuwakot district after flash floods in Trishuli on Aug. 27, 2026, in this AFP photo. Rescue teams rushed to find more than 1,300 people missing on the Nepal-Tibet border from the flash floods and landslides that killed at least 165 and swept away entire villages. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Aug. 27 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Cho Hyun expressed condolences Thursday to the people of Nepal over the devastating floods while asking his Nepalese counterpart to actively support the search and rescue of nine missing South Koreans, the foreign ministry said.

On Wednesday morning, a massive flash flood and mudslide struck Nepal's Rasuwa district, killing at least 165 people and leaving 826 others unaccounted for, according to foreign media reports.

Nine South Koreans -- six employees of plant builder Doosan Enerbility Co. and three of the state-run Korea South-East Power Co. -- also went missing while working at a hydropower plant construction site in the region.

Separately, 10 Doosan workers who had been stranded in the area were confirmed safe but were still awaiting evacuation, according to the ministry.

During a phone call with Nepalese Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal, Cho conveyed his condolences to the Nepalese people affected by the disaster and the bereaved families.

He also said South Korea will provide US$1 million in humanitarian assistance through international organizations operating in Nepal to support the country's emergency response and recovery efforts.

Cho expressed concern over the safety of the South Koreans affected by the disaster and asked Khanal for Nepal's active cooperation in ensuring their swift and safe search and rescue, the ministry said.

Cho also asked Nepal to facilitate the work of the South Korean joint rapid response team being dispatched Thursday to coordinate with local authorities on the ground.

"The two ministers agreed to maintain close communication and cooperation to help address the flood damage and ensure the safety of South Korean nationals," the ministry said.

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