"We notified the family members of the dead climbers that it's difficult to go to Nepal," the official said. "With the help of the South Korean Embassy in Nepal and Nepal authorities, we are trying to transport the bodies on a flight that departs from Nepal on Tuesday night and arrives in South Korea early Wednesday morning."

The five South Korean climbers, led by renowned mountaineer Kim Chang-ho, and four local guides were found dead Saturday near their base camp located at an altitude of 3,500 meters on Mt. Gurja in western Nepal.

Their bodies were retrieved Sunday morning and were later transported to a hospital in Kathmandu.

The nine are believed to have died after strong winds swept them down a steep slope. One body was found right near the base camp, and the other eight at the bottom of the valley. (Yonhap)