'S Korea to recruit more than 6,000 Nepalis this year'

KATHMANDU, March 28: A senior South Korean official has said at least 6,000 Nepalis would be employed in Asia´s third largest economy under Employment Permit System (EPS) in 2013.



“As most of the Korean employers have appreciated the works of Nepalis, we are planning to place demand for over 6,000 workers this year. The number is higher than last year´s figure as some quotas will be shifted to Nepal because of reduction of quotas for some other countries,” Choon-Bok Lee, vice-president of Human Resource Development Service (HRDS) of South Korea, told media persons on Wednesday. [break]



Last year, South Korea had received around 5,800 Nepalis. “We will also try our best to take all the workers listed in the roster of HRDS prepared in 2011.”



Choon is in Nepal to inspect the newly established Korean language test exam center in Lalitpur. EPS Nepal section and HRDS Korea are jointly conducting computer-based test (CBT) of Korean language at the center on Thursday for workers who returned from Korea. The CBT has been introduced for Nepalis who returned from Korea after working there for more than four years and 10 months under EPS.



South Korea has sour around 200,000 workers from 15 countries under EPS so far.



“We have introduced CBT to ensure transparency and effectiveness in language testing,” Choon said. He asked workers to enhance their basic skills related to works they are supposed to do in Korea. “We want a win-win situation in which both Nepali workers and Korean employers are satisfied. This will create more demand for Nepali workers,” he added.



Around 16,000 Nepali workers have been working in Korea under EPS.



Choon also cautioned Nepali workers not to overstay their visa. “We have stopped recruiting workers from Vietnam after Vietnamese were found overstaying their visa. We don´t want to see Nepali workers making the same mistake,” added Choon.



Nepalis work in Korea´s agriculture and manufacturing sector. Choon, however, hinted that South Korea might recruit Nepalis in other sectors as well.



South Korea recruits foreign workers under EPS in agriculture, manufacturing, construction, fishery and service sectors.



Meanwhile, Minister for Labor and Employment Hari Prasad Neupane on Wednesday inaugurated the CBT Exam Center in Gwarko, Lalitpur. Speaking on the occasion, Neupane requested the Korean authority to recruit all the workers who have passed Korean language test.



Around 8,000 workers, who have passed the language test, are still waiting for an opportunity to leave for South Korea.



Neupane also urged the Korean government to increase quota for Nepali jobseekers for the year 2014.



Of the 15,678 Nepalis, who have passed the language test, around 8,300 are still waiting for Korean jobs, according to Suresh Man Shrestha, secretary at the Ministry of Labor and Employment.



Korean language test from Thursday



EPS Nepal is conducting examination of Korean language test under CBT system for 246 workers, who returned home after working in Korea under EPS, on Thursday.



According to Gyan Nath Dhakal, an officer at EPS-Nepal section, around 60 candidates will sit the exam every day in the newly inaugurated hall.



Workers, who have completed four years and 10 months in Korea under EPS, are eligible for re-entry in Korea if they passed the CBT language test.



Spoken and listening proficiency will be tests under CBT, according to officials.

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