President Yoon Suk Yeol on Feb. 9 signs a condolence book during his visit to the Turkish Embassy in Seoul. (Office of the President)

By Kim Hayeon 

The second contingent of the Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) for search-and-rescue operations in quake-ravaged Turkiye (Turkey) will depart on the evening of Feb. 16 on a military plane. 

Presidential spokesman Lee Do Woon on Feb. 13 released the schedule of the second group in a regular briefing at the presidential office in Seoul.

He said the squad will bring 150 cold weather tents and 2,200 blankets, adding that a combined KRW 37 billion in donations was raised by the Korean Red Cross, leading companies and religious groups for relief efforts in Turkiye.

The government secured 72 staff from the National Medical Center and around 300 from private medical facilities, with 29 of them ready to leave within a week. 

In a meeting of his senior secretaries on the same day, President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered each ministry to do its best to support Turkiye. 

"What Turkiye needs most now are tents, medicine and power equipment," he said. "Each ministry should mobilize all available funds to secure relief supplies and consult with Turkiye as soon as possible."

"With the head of the Office for Government Policy Coordination at the center, each ministry should designate a separate section to do its best to support Turkiye ranging from immediate emergency protection to reconstruction."

The president said, "The Republic of Korea has never forgotten the support of our brother country during the Korean War," adding, "We must do all we can to help Turkiye recover from earthquake damage."

The first KDRT contingent, which has saved eight people after leaving for Turkiye on Feb. 7, will return to Korea after the second team takes over.

hayeounk8@korea.kr