KATHMANDU: South Korean Ambassador to Nepal Park Chong-suk has paid a courtesy call on Minister for Labor, Employment and Social Security Krishna Kumar Shrestha.

The meeting held at the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security in Singha Durbar on Tuesday discussed issues related to bilateral ties and mutual interests between Nepal and South Korea.

In the meeting with Korean Ambassador, Minister Shrestha  urged the Korean government to soon finalize the bilateral agreement on the Employment Permit System (EPS) which is awaiting renewal since 2020.

In response, Ambassador Park has expressed commitment that the bilateral agreement on EPS would be renewed at the earliest.

The Nepal government and South Korean government had signed a bilateral deal on the agreement on the EPS for the first time in 2007.

It was then renewed in 2018 and is awaiting renewal since 2020.

Similarly, Minister Shrestha, during the meeting, urged Ambassador Park to make arrangements to take 10,000 Nepalis who have passed the Korean Language Test (KLT). He also urged the Korean government to increase the quotas under the EPS.

South Korea has been taking Nepali workers since 2008.

The ministry is making preparations to start KLT from May 30, said Minister Shrestha.