By Ryu Jin
Staff Reporter


South Korea’s death toll caused by Sunday’s deadly tsunamis in South Asia rose to eight on Thursday, as two more bodies were found near the southern Thai island of Phuket, authorities said. Eight were missing and 654 others were still ``out of contact.’’

In increased rescue and relief efforts, Seoul decided to provide an additional $3 million (3.1 billion won) to the tsunami-affected nations to help their rehabilitation in addition to the $2 million of urgent relief funds it has already offered. The government also dispatched Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Choi Young-jin yesterday evening to Phuket, where a number of Korean tourists fell victim to the disaster.

But the government denied a report by a Western news agency the previous day, which put the South Korean death toll at 36, citing a list it argued was obtained from the Thai government.

The government has been fortifying efforts both at home and at overseas disaster sites to search for the missing people and help survivors there, with relatives of more than 650 travelers still claiming to have lost contact with their loved ones.

``It may take some time to verify unaccounted-for claims,’’ Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-moon said, in a briefing on the outcome of an emergency anti-disaster meeting between the government and the ruling Uri Party.

In another relief measure, Ban said a military cargo plane would leave for Sri Lanka on Friday, carrying medical supplies and relief workers. This plane might be used later to transport dead bodies home, he added.

Lee Kyu-hyung, spokesman for the Foreign Affairs-Trade Ministry, said the number of government officials in the tsunami-hit countries, such as Thailand and Sri Lanka, will exceed 70, including members of rescue operation teams, by Friday.

On Wednesday, Cho Joong-pyo, a home-based ambassador in charge of overseas Koreans’ affairs, was sent to Phuket to lead nine other diplomatic officials working at an emergency office set up on the resort island.

In addition to a 15-member highly trained rescue team already dispatched, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) affiliated with the ministry will send a 21-member relief operation team to Thailand today. The Ministry of Health and Welfare has already sent a 30-member medical team to Sri Lanka.

President Roh Moo-hyun instructed government offices to form a task force led by Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan to help victims and rehabilitation works in the wake of the earthquake and the following tidal waves in South Asia.

``The government needs to consider launching a joint taskforce comprising of government officials and civilians in an all-out effort to help the rehabilitation effort and provide relief goods to the victims,’’ deputy presidential spokesman Kim Man-soo said.

Roh made the instruction while having a year-end meeting over lunch with National Assembly Speaker Kim Won-ki, Prime Minister Lee, Supreme Court Chief Justice Choi Jong-young, National Election Commission Chairman Yoo Ji-dam and Chong Wa Dae Constitutional Court president Yun Young-chul.

jinryu@koreatimes.co.kr