[Anchor]
A search is under way in Nepal to locate four missing South Koreans after an avalanche hit their trekking course in the Himalayas.
Seoul's foreign ministry has dispatched a rapid response team to Nepal to aid in the operation.
Our Sehhyeong Kim reports.
[Reporter]
According to Seoul's foreign ministry and the Chungcheongnamdo Office of Education, the avalanche occurred on Friday morning on the Annapurna mountain at an altitude of around 3,230 meters.
The four missing teachers -- two men and two women -- are known to belong to the education office, working for elementary and middle schools in the province.
A total of 11 teachers from 10 schools left for Nepal earlier this week to take part in a volunteer work program.
Five members of the climbing party were rescued while two other teachers stayed at their accommodations due to health concerns.
Seoul's rapid response team consists of officials from the ministry and provincial education office as well as travel agency staff.
South Korea's mission in Nepal has requested active rescue operations from local authorities and vowed utmost efforts to provide necessary support to the families of those missing.
Local police have dispatched officers to the scene to locate the missing.
But inclement weather is hampering search operations.
Sehhyeong Kim, eFM News.■
<Photo: Yonhap News>
