KATHMANDU: Twenty-nine Nepalis, including two women blue-collar migrant wokers (MWs) left for South Korea today, the Employment Permit System (EPS) Nepal office said. Around 2,900 Nepalis are working there under EPS since August 2008.

South Korea is a lucrative destination for Nepali migrant workers. EPS workers earn $970 to $1,000 per month depending on their work. The income that they get in South Korea is five times more than in other major destinations — Malaysia and Gulf countries. Nepalis working in South Korea are remit home Rs 2 billion per year. Remittance contributes to about 17 per cent of the national GDP.

EPS programme started in Nepal on July 23, 2007 with a two-year agreement between Nepal’s Ministry of Labour and Transport Management (MoLTM) and South Korea’s Human Resource Department (HRD). Though the agreement expired on July 22, 2009, both parties have agreed to extend it for another three months.

MoLTM has sent a draft to extend the EPS programme in Nepal. “We have submitted a draft seeking extension of the programme and protection of Nepali migrant workers’ rights,” said Minister for Labour and Transport Management Mohammed Aftab Alam, “We are waiting for South Korea’s response.” MoLTM is planning to sign a new agreement within the extended period of three months, which expires on October 22. “It is a destination we shouldn’t lose.MoLTM is serious about enhancing the EPS service,” said Alam. EPS Nepal has a target to send at least 5,000 Nepalis under 2008 quota but only 58 per cent of target has been met so far. EPS Nepal is sending 12 more Nepalis to South Korea on September 14.

Nepalis arrested

KATHMANDU: Twenty-five Nepalis along with 25 Bangladeshis, 21 Eritreans and five Ecuadorians were caught near El Salvador on Sunday. They were caught from a boat named ‘Pit’ sailing on Pacific Ocean 130 miles southwest of San Salvador. According to news website informador.com.mx, the ship had sailed a week ago from the port of Manta (Manabi) aiming America. “Undoubtedly the final destination was to reach the US,” the site reported quoting Maximilian Corado, captain of the Salvadoran Navy. “We captured the boat as it seems as seems suspicious,” Corado said. According to El Salvadorian police, migrants will be deported to their countries. — HNS