A South Korean national, Yeon Sang-Chung, who had gone missing while trekking in Nepal’s Khumbu region, was found dead on Saturday afternoon near Lobuche, close to Kongma La Pass, at an altitude of approximately 5,300 meters. His body has since been brought to Lukla.
Missing Since December 31, 2025
Yeon Sang-Chung had been trekking in the Khumbu area and lost contact with authorities and his team on December 31, 2025. A search team from the Ama Dablam Youth Club, comprising five members, found his body on Saturday during their expedition.
Preliminary Cause of Death
Members of the Ama Dablam Youth Club played a key role in locating Yeon’s body. Five club members, following leads and information from local guides and the missing trekker’s Korean team, set out from Pangboche early Friday at 4 a.m., heading towards Kongma La Pass. During their search, they descended approximately 300 meters below the pass and discovered the body.
According to initial investigations, Yeon Sang-Chung is believed to have died after falling from a higher altitude. The search continued throughout the day around Kongma La Pass before the body was successfully retrieved.
Local Search Efforts
Sonam Dorje Sherpa, president of the Ama Dablam Youth Club, explained that the club members had earlier met a Korean MBC trekking team in Tengboche to receive guidance for the search operations. After losing contact with the South Korean guide since December 31, the search efforts were intensified.
The five-member search team departed from Pangboche at 4 a.m. on Friday, heading toward Kongma La Pass. Following the information provided by the Korean guide, they descended approximately 300 meters during the search and discovered Yeon Sang-Chung’s body. The team continued searching the surrounding areas of Kongma La Pass throughout the day, ultimately confirming the recovery of the body.
With support from the Embassy of South Korea in Nepal, the Korean Trekking Operators Association of Nepal, and the Ama Dablam Youth Club, the body of the missing South Korean trekker was safely transported to Lukla.
