First team of rescue personnel return to Korea from Turkey

Diplomacy

Published: 19 Feb. 2023, 15:27 Updated: 19 Feb. 2023, 16:47

First team of rescue personnel return to Korea from Turkey

The first round of rescue personnel of the Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) hold a moment of silence for the victims of the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey earlier this month after arriving at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, on Saturday. [FOREIGN MINISTRY]

The first round of 118 Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) personnel returned home Saturday after completing search and rescue operations for the past 10 days following the devastating earthquake in Turkey.

Their return comes after the second group of KDRT personnel, mainly aiming to provide medical relief and support for displaced people, arrived in Adana Airport in Turkey on a KC-330 military transport aircraft on Friday.

The first KDRT squad was mostly rescue workers and military personnel. They arrived back at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, early Saturday, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Turkish Ambassador to Seoul Murat Tamer, right, greets Korean rescue workers returning from Turkey at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, on Saturday. [FOREIGN MINISTRY]

They were greeted by Turkish Ambassador to Seoul Murat Tamer and Korean Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon at the airport.

"The people of Turkey will never forget Korea's support for the damages caused by the earthquake," Tamer told the relief team.

Won Do-yeon, the Foreign Ministry's director-general for development cooperation, who helmed the relief team, reported the completion of operations to the ministry, including its efforts to rescue survivors at quake-stricken sites, recover bodies and cooperate with relief teams from other countries in coordination with Turkish authorities.

Lee also thanked the personnel for their dedication to completing their mission despite an extremely dangerous situation.

On Feb. 6, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and northern Syria, killing more than 46,000 people.

On Feb. 7, the first round of KDRT personnel departed for Turkey, just a day after the quake, the largest number of relief workers dispatched by Korea in a single day.

The team rescued eight survivors and recovered 19 bodies during their operations in the country. The team operated in Antakya, the capital of Hatay Province in southeastern Turkey, one the areas hardest hit by the earthquake, completing their mission under severe cold, unstable electricity and water supply and deteriorating security situation, including lootings due to shortage of supplies.

Some of KDRT's rescue dogs also were injured during the search efforts.

Korean rescue dogs return after relief efforts in quake-stricken Turkey at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, on Saturday. [NEWS1]

The relief personnel will return to their regular duties next week after undergoing health examinations and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) tests.

The new 21-member KDRT team has 10 medical professionals — from the National Medical Center, the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare and the Defense Ministry — as well as two Foreign Ministry officials, five personnel from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica), and four members of relief organizations.

Korea also delivered 1 billion won ($778,000) of supplies, including 1,030 tents, 3,260 blankets and 2,200 sleeping bags, donated by the government and the public sector, as requested by the Turkish government.

The relief goods were transported on two military aircraft and a commercial flight.

The new team will be tasked with identifying local health and medical needs and what is needed for longer-term reconstruction and reconstruction efforts through consultations with Turkish authorities.

The second team's mission is expected to last seven days, but could be extended depending on the local circumstances.

Korea also said it will provide $1 million in humanitarian aid to Syria through an international organization.

Members of the second round of the Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) sent to support recovery efforts in Turkey arrive on a military transport aircraft at Adana, Turkey Friday. [YONHAP]

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]