Fifteen Koreans Missing or Dead, 163 Unaccounted For

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said yesterday that four Koreans were killed, 11 missing, and 17 injured by the tsunami and earthquake off the western cost of Sumatra, Indonesia.

The whereabouts of 163 people are required to be identified by family members.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lee Kyu-hyung said yesterday, “A 75-year-old woman Bae, a 20-year-old woman Lim, and another Lim, 33, a Korean living in Malaysia, were confirmed dead in Thailand.”

The bodies of Bae and Lim from Korea, who had been listed as missing, were found in Phuket and on Phi Phi Island, respectively. Another body of a Korean woman was found dead. She is thought to be a newlywed who had lost contact in Khao Lak.

Among the 11 listed missing, eight including a five-year-old boy Park were on Phi Phi Island, and three are known to have stayed at hotels in Khao Lak.

The death toll by the tsunami disaster is estimated at 27,695 in the nine countries affected as of 4:00 p.m., December 28.

Meanwhile, Reuters projected the death toll to reach a maximum of 57,000, citing evaluations by victim countries and the media.

Hyung-June Park lovesong@donga.com taewon_ha@donga.com