Korea can support Nepal for creating jobs

Unlucky is the country, which appeals foreign friends day in day out to consume some of its young and energetic youths and offer employment.

Nepal is in effect the most unfortunate country of all in the globe, which has of late acquired a policy of sending her brilliant and energy-loaded youths abroad for earning remittance.

Nepali youths either for fear of the Maoists wrath or for the lack of required employment opportunities in the country itself, prefer now to go abroad and earn two meals a day and if possible send some money back home to their parents so that the parents too could enjoy the same. Add to this some have joined the ranks of the insurgents voluntarily as well.

Other youths, skilled or some highly qualified ones too now have begun buying tickets to destinations that allow then job and in lieu they get handsome salaries.

In the process, millions and millions of Nepali youths, girls and boys alike, have already migrated to other countries in search of peace or employment.

Sadly, the Nepali government since all along 1950s, never thought in this regard on how to accommodate our own youths so that the energy remains intact in the country who later could be used for the development of the country. Thanks the duffer governments of the past that the issue remains very much kicking and alive rendering millions and millions hopeless and hapless.

Thanks that some friendly governments understand the Nepali problems and been hinting that they could provide some support to Nepal by increasing the quotas of the workers that they need for their own development.

Koreas is the one which has of late been exhibiting some sympathy towards the plight of the Nepali unemployed youths.

As the visiting Korean deputy foreign minister, Cho Young-jai, revealed Monday evening that Nepali workers now in Korea could be to the tune of four thousands plus. Add to this those Nepalese who might be there residing illegally. This means that a sizeable chunk of Nepali skilled or semi-skilled youth now reside in Korea and must have been supporting their own country by sending foreign currency.

The visiting Korean dignitary was all considerate towards Nepal and her problems and apparently hinted the Nepali authorities that he would talk to his own authorities in order to increase the official quota for the Nepali workers. Thanks the Korean side.

The minister was here to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Nepal-Korea diplomatic relations.

It would be nice if the Korean side exhibited its attraction in the establishment of joint ventures on sectors as tourism, trade and investment so that Nepali youths involved in these sectors could get automatically trained. If it is so would mean that the trained ones will train others and the process would continue ultimately providing opportunities to countless many others. A workforce thus will be in our own command. The Korean side, as a sincere friend, can do this and should do in order to ease Nepali problems of acute joblessness.

I recall some time back what the Korean Ambassador, Park Sang-hoon, had told my weekly during an interview dated March 10, 2004. He had said: "There are more than 4,600 Nepalese working in Korea and every year around 10,000 Koreans visit Nepal. There is potential for this existing network to be expanded and further developed into mutually beneficial economic relations on commerce, industry, IT, tourism and etc. …I can say for sure that the ROK places much emphasis on substantially contributing to Nepal’s national development rather than being vocal on Nepal’s political matters".

Now what I have understood from the sayings of two Korean dignitaries is that both wish to support Nepal. Both have sympathies for Nepal. Both wish to see Nepal as va prosperous state. Now that since both represent the State, the Republic of Korea, can do enormous by initiating joint ventures on the sectors mentioned above. As a responsible Nepali mediaman, what we the Nepalese wish is transfer of skills, technology and the expertise. If this happens, after a lapse of ten years or so we might not need donations to what we have been getting it.

In the end, I must thanks both the high placed Koreans to understand the Nepali sensitivities in these regards and initiate actions that lessens our dependence on them, Korea included.

I know our problem is bad politics. Bad politics breeds bad governance. Bad governance breeds chaos and political instability of the sort what we are facing at the moment.

Train us, provide us skills, offer us the technology that is within your limit and help create jobs so that our boys don’t have to go abroad simply to have two meals a day.

This you can do.

Headline | Opinion | Dateline | 5 Question  | Editorial | Letter | Views | International | Past