Nepali migrant workers in South Korea could meet their kith and kin

Kathmandu, Aug 7: Nepali migrant workers in South Korea under the Employment Permit System (EPS) now could meet their family members and relatives during their employment period. South Korean Ambassador to Nepal Park Yong-sik apprised of the latest provision in a meeting held between Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Gokarna Raj Bista and Ambassador Park here Monday.

On the occasion, South Korean envoy Park informed that the relatives of some Nepali migrant workers had already been to South Korea and met them while some have already returned Nepal after the visits. Formal declaration about this provision would be made public very soon, according to Park.

On the occasion, Minister Bista said that South Korea has been a lucrative labour market for the Nepali youth and requested the Korean envoy to take initiatives to increase the quota in the EPS for Nepali migrant workers. Minister Bista said that he was hopeful of receiving South Korean government support to Nepal in construction of physical infrastructures of the three Skills Development Centres that are to be set up under the Federal government to help develop aspiring Nepali migrant workers learn skills and language required for foreign employment, according to the Ministry’s Spokesperson Prakash Dahal.

He also assured the South Korean envoy that Nepal government will make sure that no South Koreans in Nepal would face inconvenience during their stay in Nepal. Likewise, South Korean envoy Park reaffirmed his commitment for making efforts to increase the quota in EPS and expressed his commitment to open employment quotas in service sector for the Nepali youth willing to work in South Korea.

He also assured Minister Bista of the South Korean government’s support in the construction of the physical infrastructures for the Skills Development Centres. Nepali government had been requesting the South Korean government to allow the family and relatives of the Nepali migrant workers in South Korea to meet with them given the rampant cases of despair and suicide among the Nepali migrant workers. No Nepali migrant workers flown to South Korean under EPS were allowed to return home before 4 years and 10 months.

More than 30,000 Nepali youths have already flown to South Korean under the EPS so far. This year a total of 7,998 Nepali migrant workers are bound to South Korea under the EPS.