1. The government of the Republic of Korea held a ceremony for the dispatch of the Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT), to be sent to Laos to support relief efforts following the accident at the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy hydropower dam in Laos, at Seoul Air Base on the morning of July 29.

o The ceremony was attended by the KDRT consisting of 20 medical workers, and about 40 officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of National Defense, the Korea International Cooperation Agency, the National Medical Center, and the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare.

o In his remarks delivered to offer encouragement, Acting Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs Kang Jeong-sik asked the KDRT to do their best for their activities there to be a big help to residents experiencing difficulties, and to work safely.

o Head of the medical team Roh Dong-hwan (from the National Medical Center) said that his team would extend a warm helping hand to residents in the affected area, and do its best to treat them and help them.

2. After arriving in the area, the KDRT will provide medical services to residents affected by the accident at a health center run by the provincial government in the Sanamxay district of Attapeu Province, one of the affected areas.

o In the Sanamxay district where the KDRT will carry out activities, four makeshift shelters have been set up for about 3,500 people affected by the accident. The demand for healthcare services is expected to be high in the area.

o The KDRT dispatched this time is the second team composed solely of medical personnel after the team dispatched to respond to the Ebola outbreak in December 2014.

3. Relief supplies from the ROK sent to Laos by a military transport aircraft on July 28 have arrived there, and a ceremony to deliver them to the Lao provincial government will take place today.

* unofficial translation