BANGKOK, Jan. 20 (Xinhuanet)-- The South Korean government has made a request to set up the Honorary Consulate in Thailand's southern resort province of Phuket to help assist its nationals who were hit hard in the Dec. 26 tsunami.

    The request has been made through the South Korean Embassy to Thailand as a number of South Korean tourists were among thousands of casualties and those still missing in the fatal waves weeks ago.     

    The cabinet is expected to consider the request and give its approval soon, the Thai News Agency said Friday.

    Earlier, the cabinet approved the establishment of the Swedish,Danish and Norwegian Honorary Consulates in Phuket.

    The main duties of the foreign consulates in Phuket are to takecare of bodies of its nationals killed in tsunami and the injured and help to search for those still missing.

    Nearly 2,000 foreign tourists died in the tsunami, which lashedThailand's six southern provinces of Phuket, Phangnga, Krabi, Trang, Ranong and Satun last Dec. 26.

    By far, the official death toll from the catastrophe has reached 5,326, with 8,457 injured and some 3,115 still missing. Enditem