A total of 47, 690 Nepalis were qualified for the exam. [break]
“Only around 20,000 aspirants turned up for the examinations today (Sunday). We were expecting around 24,000 to sit in the exam,” Prem Luitel, an official at EPS-Nepal Office -- a focal office to oversee Korean employment process - said.
The government and Human Resource Department (HRD) of Korea have been conducting examination in 17 centers of Kathmandu and Lalitpur districts.
“We are conducting the 70-minute exam in two shifts a day for two days,” said Luitel.
The result is scheduled to be published on October 21.
Officials expect around 8,000 hopefuls to pass the examination, which is also known as Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK), to qualify for further processing for the Korean jobs.
“We will select 30 percent of those qualifying the KLT for professional skills test, giving them high priority for job placements in Korea,” said Luitel.
Out of around 15,000 youths who passed the languages test in 2011, around 4,800 are still to get job opportunities in Korea. Those failing to secure the EPS jobs have took to the streets, putting pressure on the government to arrange them jobs at the earliest.
Luitel said those who passed the exam in 2011 will be given high priority to sign contracts for Korean jobs until January. “Those who pass this year´s exam will be selected thereafter,” he added.
South Korea has been sourcing workers from 15 different countries under EPS introduced in 2004.
Around 17,000 Nepalis have left for Korea under EPS so far. Nepal had signed labor agreement with South Korea in 2007 to send Nepalis to work in five different sectors -- manufacturing, fishery, agriculture, service and construction in the fourth largest economy of Asia. EPS Nepal has already conducted three KLT exams - in 2008, 2010 and 2011 in Nepal.
South Korea is regarded as one of the most lucrative destinations for Nepalis in term of remuneration and job safety.
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