South Korean trekker missing for over a month in Everest region
TAAN issues public appeal as search continues for 67-year-old Yeon-Sang Chung, who failed to return home after trekking in Khumbu
PC: Abiral Rai
A 67-year-old South Korean national has been reported missing for over a month after trekking in Nepal’s Everest region, prompting a public appeal from the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN).
According to TAAN, Yeon-Sang Chung arrived in Nepal in December 2025 and is believed to have trekked in the Khumbu region between December 23 and January 6, 2026. He was scheduled to return to South Korea on January 10 but failed to do so, raising concerns about his whereabouts.
TAAN issued the appeal on Sunday after receiving a request from Chung’s parents through the Nepal Tourism Board. The association said it has begun coordinating with Sagarmatha National Park authorities to verify whether Chung officially entered and exited the Khumbu region.
“We have requested Sagarmatha National Park to check whether he entered and exited the Khumbu region so that we can ascertain if he is missing from the area or travelled elsewhere,” TAAN Chief Executive Officer Ram Chandra Sedai told Everest Chronicle.
Sedai said there is no record indicating that Chung obtained a Trekkers’ Information Management System (TIMS) card, making it difficult for authorities to track his movements.
Under revised TIMS regulations, trekkers in 14 designated areas—including the Everest region—must be accompanied by a licensed trekking guide and carry a TIMS card issued by a registered trekking agency. However, the provision has not been implemented effectively, as local bodies follow separate rules and lack proper preparation for enforcement.
The TIMS system allows authorities to track trekkers in emergency situations. The card also serves as a trekking permit and costs Rs 2,000 for international visitors.
TAAN said only limited information is available about Chung’s travel arrangements, including whether he was trekking independently or through a registered agency with a licensed guide. Chung is approximately 165 centimetres tall.
“Had he taken the TIMS card, he would not have gone missing. Finding him would not have been difficult,” Sedai said.
Although the TIMS card has been mandatory since 2023, implementation has remained weak. Under the revised provision, trekkers can now apply for the card online, unlike earlier when applications had to be made in person. However, only about 36,000 trekkers have obtained TIMS cards over the past two years, while approximately 300,000 trekkers visited Nepal during the same period.
Search efforts began immediately after the request was received. TAAN has urged trekking guides, tourism entrepreneurs, lodge operators, and local residents in trekking areas to share any information that could help locate Chung.
Anyone with relevant information is requested to contact TAAN at 9843687548 or info@taan.org.np, or inform Chung’s family directly in South Korea.
Family Contact:
Dosik Choi (Seoul, South Korea)
Phone: +82-10-6363-1176
Email: export007@naver.com
