Some 70 per cent South Korea returnees running own businesses

Seventy per cent of South Korea returnee migrant workers are involved in their own business, according to a survey. 
“Some 20 per cent have returned South Korea for foreign employment, and the rest 10 per cent have been living idle,” revealed the survey conducted by Ankur Nepal, an organisation of the Korea returnees.
Korean Association of Returned Workers-Nepal (Ankur Nepal) conducted the survey among 955 Korea returnees across the country in association with the Foreign Employment Promotion Board (FEPB). “The trend of South Korea returnees engaging with self-employment is slowly increasing,” the report reads, adding that no less than 70 per cent of the South Korea returnees are involved in tourism sector, medium-size industry and farming.
In July, Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS) felicitated returnee migrants for their dedication in the agriculture, steel and garment sectors and also for being a source of inspiration for those who return from foreign jobs and want to start a business in Nepal. “Of the five awarded returnee migrants, three were South Korea returnees.”
According to the board, some 55,000 Nepali migrant workers went to South Korea but around 35,000 are currently working in South Korea and some 20,000 have returned to Nepal after completing their term in Korea.
The number of migrant workers leaving for South Korea is also going up and at the same time, the number of Korea returnees is also increasing. But chairman of Ankur Nepal, Lal Prasad Bhattarai – himself a South Korea returnee, who has had lived in South Korea for altogether 11 years – claimed that the South Korea returnees are disciplined, hard working and self employed. Bhattarai, who is now operating a tourism business in Kathmandu, also informed that Ankur Nepal was established in 2012 with a concrete goal of discouraging illegal migrant Nepali workers. The South Korean Embassy in Kathmandu is helping the organisation with regular trainings programmes. “We organise different programmes in association with the South Korean Embassy,” he said, adding that it also operates orientation and motivation classes for the migrant workers and their families. “It works for minimising the incidents of depression and suicide in Korea, too.”
Established with a motto ‘one South Korea returnee should provide employment to at least three Nepalis’, Ankur Nepal has 25,000 general members, 170 life members and a 15-member working committee at present.
South Korean envoy to Nepal Park Young-Sik, said that the Embassy organises programmes, in association with Ankur Nepal, on a regular basis to support the successful settlement of Nepalis, who returned from South Korea. “The returnee migrants should implement the skill and technology they have learned in Korea,” he said, adding that the embassy is supporting them in setting up of their businesses in Nepal.

Government plans counselling sessions for migrants

The government is planning to start special counselling sessions for Nepali migrant workers going to foreign employment.
Though, South Korea is considered a ‘safe’ and most lucrative destination, the number of Nepalis committing suicide or suffering from depression in the host country has been on the rise, said Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Gokarna Bista, addressing a second ‘Workshop on the Role of the Private Sector in the Economic Development of Korea,’ organised by South Korean Embassy, here today. “The government is planning to start special counselling sessions, in collaboration with Korean government, for Nepalis going to work in South Korea,” he added.
South Korean envoy Park Young-Sik, addressing the event organised to support the successful settlement of workers who returned from Korea, suggested the returnee migrants to implement the skill and technology they have learned in Korea, back home. “The embassy is happy to help returnee migrants by supporting them in seting up of their businesses in Nepal,” he said, explaining how the South Korea has developed itself over the period of time.
"Even in Korea, under EPS Programme, about 35,000 Nepalis are working now in South Korea and more than 20,000 Nepali workers have already returned to Nepal," he said, highlighting the immense contribution that migrant workers, including from Korea, have made to the Nepali economic development. "Nepal’s foreign exchange reserve is healthy because of remittance as migrant workers sent remittance of $7.26 billion in the fiscal year 2017-18."
"That is about 25.1 per cent of the nation’s GDP," he added. "The healthy foreign exchange reserves obtained mainly from remittance allows Nepali people to buy foreign goods and services."
That's why Nepali economy is called as remittance-dependent and import-based one but the migrants’ money is mostly being spent on consumption which is the main reason for huge trade deficit, the envoy said, "Nepal government data shows that saving was only 15 per cent of the country’s total earnings in fiscal year 2017-18, while 85 per cent was spent on consumption for food, education, luxury goods, rent and so on."
If we include remittance, Nepal’s national savings would increase to 45 per cent. "Therefore, Nepal must make the best use of remittance," the envoy added.
However, the social cost of labour migration is troubling, particularly in terms of breakdown in the family, divorces and parenting void for the children who are left behind, according to dean of Asian Culture Centre in South Korea Kim Yong Kuk.
In a number of cases, Nepali migrants have taken their lives in South Korea due to mismatch in their expectations and the ground reality in the foreign land, work pressure, among other issues, director of EPS Korea Section under Department of Foreign Employment Krishna Prasad Khanal.
Likewise, economist Bishwo Poudel, on the occasion, emphasised on the need for the government to come up with policies for proper utilisation of remittance and capitalisation of skills of returnee migrants.
The returnees tend to blow their money on luxury goods and unproductive sector, which will land them in a difficult position when they get old, though the government is planning to ‘manage’ the remittance to secure the future of migrant workers, according to the participants.
However, the returnee migrants from South Korea are not only disciplined but also doing fairly better compared to the returnees from other destination countries, said Editor of Karobar National Economic Daily Kuber Chalise, presenting a paper on ‘Policy suggestion in creating employment for returnee migrants.’ “Out of the five returnee migrants, who were awarded by the government last week, three of them were from South Korea.”
Tracing back the history of Nepali migrant workers, Chalise said that the formal labour migration from Nepal started in 1814-1816, after the Nepal-British India war. “A total of 4,650 Nepali youngsters were recruited to the British Armed Forces as a British-Gurkha regiment after the conclusion of the war and signing of the Treaty of Sugauli in 1816.”
However, migration picked the pace during the course of time and so has the inflow of remittance, the outflow has seen whopping increase after the Maoist insurgency in Nepal.
According to the World Bank record, Nepal had received $55 million in 1993, which increased by 15 times to $771 million in a decade in 2003. “In 2013, Nepal received $5589 million, and in 2019 Nepal is going to receive more than $8000 million.”
But the remittance inflow is fueling consumption, and killing entrepreneurship and productivity in the country, Chalise, said, adding that the government realising the mistake – it has been committing due to various reasons including conflict, uncertainty and political transition – is trying to correct it by launching a soft loan scheme for returnee migrants.
However, some 18,767 – some 893 women and 17,874 men – have applied for up to Rs 1 million soft loan at subsidised interest rate for 5 years, the government data revealed, adding that the highest applicants are from Province 3 – some 13,566 – and lowest are from Province 6 – some 294 – and the government is soon going to finalise those who will get the soft loan.
Emphasising on the technologies, skills and management methods learned in Korea were important factors for their success, the members of Korean Association of Returned Workers (ANKUR) – on the occasion – also made presentations about their enterprises.

Only 13 per cent pass EPS-TOPIK

The Employment Permit System (EPS) under the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) published the result of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) today. Out of the total 92,376 candidates, who filled up the form, only 13 per cent passed the exam, EPS section of the department informed. “The total number of passed candidates is 12,009 for this year.”
Out of the successful candidates, who appeared in the exam, 23.94 per cent passed the test for agriculture sector and 76.05 per cent for manufacturing sector,” it informed, adding that number wise, some 9,133 candidates passed for manufacturing sector, whereas 2,876 passed for agriculture sector. The first level of language test for this year was held on June 8 and June 10,
“The candidates will be further shortlisted and the selected ones will get a job by January 2020,” according to the department that further informed that there will be skill based examination which is going to be scheduled by mid-September. “The candidates will be allowed to fill up Employment Arrangement Form after that, which will be followed by medical test and police report of the shortlisted candidates.”
The selected ones will, finally, reach South Korea by January 2020.
Some 8,996 candidates had passed the test last year. Since the result is valid for two years, the exact data of candidates of a particular year who went to Korea could not be counted. However, some 3,300 candidates from 2018 and 2017 batches reached Korea in 2019. But till now some 62,000 candidates have already reached South Korea – the most lucrative destination for Nepali migrant workers – through EPS that is a government-to-government system which ensures safe migration for workers and also strengthens basic rights of foreign workers and restricts discrimination against them.
The EPS Korea Section was established under the Ministry of Labour and Employment and Department of Foreign Employment with a purpose of easing the process to send Nepali workers to Korea after Nepal entered into EPS in 2007.

Waris Dirie, Dr Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina bag the 2019 Sunhak Peace Prize

Waris Dirie and Dr Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina bagged the 2019 Sunhak Peace Prize.
Waris Dirie is widely acclaimed for raising awareness throughout the world, about the tragic practice which is still prevalent in some parts of the world, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). The Sunhak Peace Prize Committee selected Waris Dirie in recognition of her tireless advocacy for the rights of girls and women, and her call for a worldwide resolution calling for the eradication of FGM, thereby protecting girls who are at the risk of FGM.
As an agricultural economist, Dr Akinwumi Adesina has been a leader in agricultural innovation for over 30 years. He has contributed greatly to food security in Africa, aimed at improving the lives of millions currently living in poverty, throughout the African continent. The Sunhak Committee acknowledges Dr Akinwumi Adesina’s achievements in promoting Good Governance through the works of improving Africa’s economies and lifting millions of rural and poor farmers out of poverty, the Sunhak Peace Prize Committee said, adding that both laureates have made a significant contribution to improving the quality of life of the most vulnerable in Africa.
The Sunhak Peace Prize Committee recognises the immense importance of Africa, observes that Africa is undergoing rapid change and development, while also facing challenges. These Laureates have made dramatic contributions to Africa’s growth and development, it added. Each laureate received a cash prize of $500,000, totaling $1,000,000, to go along with a medal and plaque presented by the founder Dr Hak Ja Han Moon, and committee chair Dr Il-Sik Hong, during the award ceremony.
Warisi Dirie was born into a goat-herding nomad family in Somalia. She was subjected to female circumcision at the age of 5. In 1997, when her fashion career was at its peak, as a world-class supermodel, she shared her experience with the world. She became a voice for the voiceless. Her story shocked and at the same time enlightened people around the world about the tragic reality of FGM.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), over 200 million girls and women have been affected by FGM, which is prevalent in more than 30 countries, including parts of Africa and the Middle East. Moreover, the practice threatens the lives of millions of girls. Also, due to the increase of the immigration rates, countries in Europe, the USA and Asia are affected by FGM practices. This barbaric practice is a crime and against humanity, which often causes infertility, problems with urination, high blood loss, infections and in some cases even death.
The Sunhak Peace Prize honours individuals and organisations, who have made significant contributions to the peace and the welfare of the future generations. The Sunhak Peace Prize includes a cash prize totaling one million dollars. The 2019 Sunhak Peace Prize Award Ceremony will take place in February, 2019 in Seoul, Korea.