When foreign nationals submit their passports and visas, along with other papers, at the Department of Industry (DoI) to seek permission for opening businesses here, the government doesn't inquire about any criminal background, as revealed by a recent case of a South Korean national.Hyun Joo Lee, 48, opened the Goong Korean Restaurant in Naxal some six months ago. Although she has been in Interpol's Red Notice list since June, 2014, the government granted her permission for the restaurant in December, 2014.
Chief of foreign division at DoI Bipin Rajbhandari said that the department never checks foreigners for any criminal record before granting them permission for doing business in Nepal.
"We don't check the criminal background of foreigners when they submit documents to start a business here," said Rajbhandari. "We carry out checks only if criminal records are forwarded to us by the Home Ministry."
Hyun received a business visa from the Department of Immigration after securing a recommendation letter from DoI allowing her to open the restaurant.
It is also learnt that foreign nationals are not required to submit their bank details. Rajbhandari said that they are not mandated to check for criminal records or money sources prior to granting them permission to open any business in Nepal.
"We just need a letter from the bank stating that the applicant has not been blacklisted," said Rajbhandari adding, "We are not mandated or required to check their criminal backgrounds, bank balance, sources of income or transaction particulars when they seek to invest in Nepal."
Hyun first came to Nepal as a tourist in January 2010, and later renewed her visa as a student. Hyun enrolled at the Bishwo Bhasa Campus to learn Nepali and obtained a student visa, according to records at the Department of Immigration.
Later, she took the permit to run a Korean restaurant. She had been running the restaurant for six months until police arrested her.
A team from Interpol Nepal arrested Hyun from her restaurant on June 3 and handed her over to DoI. She was deported to Korea on June 8.
Hyun sold the restaurant to another Korean woman (who wishes to remain anonymous) before she was deported. However, the restaurant remains under Hyun's ownership.
As Nepal's immigration department doesn't have a modern system that can vet the records of foreigners before issuing them visas, there are chances of increased criminal activity in Nepal. The officials at DoI said that they don't have advanced software that will enable them to track criminal records.
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