Nepal govt ‘surreptitiously’ extends visas of 17 North Koreans

Even though the government of Nepal in the letter to the UN, on November 6, said 33 North Koreans had already left the country, it has been learned that six North Korean doctors working at the Tanahun-based Ne-Koryo Hospital left the country on November 11.

Pramod Raj Sedhain

November 17, 2019

8 MIN READ

Nepal govt ‘surreptitiously’ extends visas of 17 North Koreans

KATHMANDU: Despite its assurance to abide by the UN sanctions on North Korea, the government of Nepal has extended the visa period of 17 North Koreans for two more months, sources have claimed.

The government has extended the visa of 17 North Koreans, including Quang Ho, and Changnam Rye, the Managing Director of Durbarmarga-based Botonggang Restaurant on the fourth floor of Rising Mall, until December this year.

Botonggang Restaurant is North Korea’s highest-grossing restaurant in Nepal.

The visa was extended for two months citing that they needed some more time for the sale of the restaurant soon after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ (MoFA) letter had reached the Department of Immigration (DoI) through the Ministry for Home Affairs (MoHA).

Earlier, the government in a letter to UN on November 6 had made the government’s stance clear saying it would cooperate in the effective implementation of UN policies and directives.

The department, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had instructed the North Koreans to close or sell their business firms by the end of October and leave Nepal.

Meanwhile, even though the government of Nepal in the letter to the UN, on November 6, said 33 North Koreans had already left the country, it has been learned that six North Korean doctors working at the Tanahun-based Ne-Koryo Hospital left the country on November 11.

However, Foreign Minister Gyawali is learned to have made it clear that Nepal, as a UN member, must abide by the mandatory sanctions enforced by the UN.

North Korean Ambassador Jo Yong Men, despite striving hard through various channels for more than one and a half years to meet Prime Minister KP Oli, has not been able to materialize his endeavor.

Sources claim that Prime Minister Oli has advised his ministers to abstain from meeting North Korean authorities, and the intelligence agencies under him are vigilant about N Korean activities lately.

It is said PM Oli has decided not to sour the government’s relations with the western powers, mainly the United States and the European countries by making contacts with the North Koreans.

It should be noted that PM Oli had met with Choe Ryong Hae, the First Chairman of North Korea’s State Affairs Commission, on the sidelines of the 18th Non-Aligned Movement conference held in Baku, Azerbaijan ‘on their request’.

Despite his formal queries about the measures to be taken to strengthen the ties between N. Korea and Nepal, it is said that Oli did not take the issue ‘seriously’.

Sources said that during the meeting with North Korean leader, PM Oli had stated that Nepal would not take any decisions coming under pressure from any external forces reiterating Nepal’s commitment to abide by the UN sanctions even consented by China and Russia.

PM Oli, meanwhile, is learned to have assured the North Korean leader of ‘giving’ some time to withdraw North Korean investment in Nepal.

Senior leaders of the Nepal Communist Party here were involved in influencing affirmatively in the extension of visa by meeting Nepal’s leaders including Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali, and former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, to mention a few.

CP Mainali (C) holds talks with Minister Gyawali (L).

On 30th October, C.P Mainali, the General Secretary of Nepal Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist) along with a few Korean leaders had reached the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to meet Foreign Minister Gyawali to lobby in behalf of North Korea against the execution of the withdrawal of North’s investment.

Foreign Minister Gyawali reminded them that the previous extension from September 15 to October 30 while assuring them of extending further.

However, Foreign Minister Gyawali is learned to have made it clear that Nepal, as a UN member, must abide by the mandatory sanctions enforced by the UN.

In his diplomatic gesture, Minister Gyawali is reported to have said that the decision was not made under US pressure, and was solely made by the government of Nepal.

He had, then, cited the possibility of welcoming the North Koreans once the sanctions were made less strict.

Diplomats of various western countries and missions here have expressed their ‘dissatisfaction’ at this decision of visa extension.

The letter said 33 nationals of North Korea had already left Nepal as of 31 October 2019 as ordered by the Department of Immigration.

The United Nations and the United States of America had written letters to the government of Nepal after Khabarhub published a series of stories exposing North Korea’s illicit activities in Nepal.

In the meantime, North Korea has initiated the process to bring more workers from its homeland to Nepal in January next year to start new businesses here, sources have claimed. Prime Minister Oli is, however, not in a mood to entertain them in any way.

Earlier, three North Koreans working at a restaurant operated by North Koreans in Kathmandu were transferred to an IT company in disguise as IT workers after the restaurant was shut down. They later fled the scene after Khabarhub published a report exposing the extension of their visas.

It should also be noted that 33 North Koreans have left Nepal prior to October 31 as per the government’s orders.

The government in its report on its implementation of international sanctions to the UN this week, the Nepalese government reported that visas issued to North Koreans living in the country had expired at the end of last month.

The letter said 33 nationals of North Korea had already left Nepal as of 31 October 2019 as ordered by the Department of Immigration.

The government, in the letter, further said that those still living in Nepal illegally would be subject to prosecution under the country’s immigration laws.

North Korea currently faces international sanctions that prohibit the operation of joint ventures with the country’s entities.

North Koreans have been operating businesses, including chains of restaurants and a number of other illicit businesses such as hospitals, and software companies.