Nepali Protest Against Early Introduction 2024 EPS Quota

Nepalese individuals eager to travel to Korea for foreign employment have requested that the 2024 quota be introduced in 2024 rather than the present. To have their concerns acknowledged, they commenced a protest on Tuesday, which spanned four days and concluded on Friday.

The protest commenced outside of the Employment Permit System (EPS) office, where demonstrators claimed that the 2024 quota had been prematurely launched in 2023 for a shipbuilding firm.

A dissatisfied young protestor inquired, "Why was the 2024 quota initiated in 2023?" Per the EPS regulations, over 28,000 individuals who did not pass the exam are prohibited from retaking it. The protestors are seeking clarification from the government and regard the situation as unfair.

Under EPS guidelines, Korea invited applications for jobs in manufacturing and received approximately 15,848 submissions. One protestor stated, "HRD Korea forwarded requests for the year 2024 to all 16 nations. Nepal is the sole country that combined the quotas for 2023 and 2024 while introducing applications. We demand an explanation from our government. This is incorrect and unjust."

Related: Around 16000 jobs available for Nepalese Workers in South Korea

The protestors contend that EPS should not have initiated applications as late as December 18 this year. With January 2024 only twelve days away, they find the early opening puzzling. They voice disappointment that despite extensive study, they are forbidden from taking the employment exam for opportunities in Korea.

Upon establishing specific criteria, 28,409 individuals who failed skill-building exams will be barred from reapplying. They express worry and outcry over their inability to apply within the manufacturing sector while seeking recognition from the EPS Korea Branch Office and HRD Korea.

The application timeframe, according to demand, has been set between December 18 and December 22 with particular conditions attached. Candidates who failed within the ship-building sector after applying cannot participate in securing jobs within manufacturing as they already took the skill-building exam.

Throughout the demonstration, young people who have spent years learning the Korean language and preparing for 2024 were notified they cannot take the exam based on the quota published in 2023, causing their frustration. Their main grievance arises from not passing the 2023 exam despite achieving 37 points.

A protestor explained, "These days, earning just 30 points in the productive sector guarantees a pass." They continued by saying, "Following my shipbuilding exam where I scored a respectable 37 marks, I was unsuccessful. Now, I cannot apply for any open positions moving forward, leading to wasted years of study and jeopardizing my future. This represents a major injustice." One affected individual solely requests the ability for those who failed within shipbuilding to apply in manufacturing.

On December 5, the EPS Korea Branch released a notice. Item number five within this notice explains that no applications may be submitted for the EPS-topik examination during 2023. Ratna Magarati, a protest participant, stated that this particular directive led to exclusion from applying within the productive sector. The aggrieved parties demand the removal of item number five from the notice issued by EPS Korea Branch.

The demonstrators insist that the Nepali government engage in earnest dialogue with Korea while emphasizing discrimination against them. They have cautioned that protests will persist if this specific point is not withdrawn. Expressing their disapproval regarding their dashed aspirations of working in Korea, protestors further demand that Korea's 'Manufacturing' allocation for 2024 be revealed in 2024 via EPS.

Protestors continue to gather outside of the EPS office, appealing for attention to their concerns.

Gurudatta Subedi, the esteemed Director of the EPS Korea branch, expressed that the request for permitting young individuals to retake the examination has been received favorably. "The assertion that everyone ought to have the opportunity to participate in the examination is not without merit. Nonetheless, we cannot definitively ascertain that this will be the case. We are treating this matter with utmost importance, and deliberations are presently taking place among the pertinent organizations," he articulated.