South Korea says that it is "negotiating" with Nepal about foreign rescue assistance

Nepal doesn't need foreign help for search and rescue operations after the flash flood that swept through several towns, the foreign ministry announced on Friday. This is despite the fact that several countries whose citizens are missing were willing to offer assistance. The flood swept through Rasuwa District near the Chinese border. It destroyed entire towns and hydropower projects, while killing more than 500 people. Hundreds of foreigners are still missing. This includes South Korea, which has sent a team to Nepal. It will also send a disaster relief team. Nepal's Foreign Ministry said Friday it was in charge of the rescue effort. "The offer of help is natural. Search and rescue operations are being carried out by our security agencies. Lok Bahadur Chhetri said that we do not require such help at this time, without giving any further details. The South Korean foreign ministry said that Nepal had stated it did not plan to accept rescue teams from abroad. The ministry said that South Korea would continue to negotiate with Nepal on the issue. Seoul has promised $1 million to international organizations for humanitarian assistance, said its Foreign Minister on X. The South Korean foreign ministry announced on Wednesday that nine South Koreans who worked in a hydropower station were missing, and another ten were stranded. The Kathmandu Post reported on Wednesday that India, China and the United States had all asked for permission to send their search-and rescue teams to help with the operation. Dinesh Bhattarai is a former Nepali Ambassador to the United Nations, in Geneva. He said that the government may have been reluctant to accept foreign teams to help with the search and rescue operation because of the sensitive nature of the flood-hit Rasuwa District, which borders China's Tibet Region. Bhattarai said that the government may have decided to reject foreign teams because of the sensitive location in the area. Chhetri, however, said that the decision was not a result of China's concern because Nepalese rescue teams were in charge of the operation. Reporting by Gopal?Sharma in Kathmandu, and Heejin?Kim in Seoul. Writing by Shilpa?Jamkhandikar and Anil d'Silva. Editing by Christian Schmollinger & Saad Sayeed.

(source: Reuters)