The Korea Disaster Relief Team on Feb. 7 takes group photos before leaving for its mission in Turkiye (Turkey) at Incheon International Airport. 

By Park Hye Ri 

Photos = Ministry of Foreign Affairs 

The Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) has left for Turkiye (Turkey) to perform search-and-rescue operations in the quake-ravaged country.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Feb. 8 said the 118-member contingent attended a departure ceremony at 10 p.m. the night before at Incheon International Airport before leaving on a military transport plane.

The KDRT has the most members of an emergency relief team on a single overseas dispatch in the nation's history.

Comprising search-and-rescue specialists from the foreign and national defense ministries, National Fire Agency and Korea International Cooperation Agency, the group will closely cooperate with relief workers dispatched by the international community and the Turkish government.

On the previous day, the Korean government held a joint public-private meeting on overseas emergency relief under Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin and decided to deploy the KDRT. Seoul will also provide humanitarian assistance worth USD 5 million (KRW 6.3 billion) and consider giving more depending on Turkiye's situation.

The ministry said, "Our hope is that the government's dispatch of the emergency relief team and humanitarian aid to Turkiye will help the Turkish people suffering from this large-scale earthquake to quickly stabilize their lives and recover from the damage."

Turkish Ambassador to Korea Salih Murat Tamer on Feb. 7 shakes hands with a firefighter on the Korea Disaster Relief Team at the contingent's departure ceremony held at Incheon International Airport. 

hrhr@korea.kr