Korea wishes to see a 'self-reliant' Nepal - Kim Seung-Beom, Director, KOICA Central office, Seoul, Korea

Upadhyaya Jee Namaste!

This is how I was greeted by Mr. Kim, Hyung-Kyoo, the Manager at the central office of the Korea International Cooperation Agency, Human Resource Cooperation Department, on November 5 this month in Seoul.

Understandably, Mr. Kim greeted me in my own Nepali language and system, which was enough to make me sentimental to the extent that I could instantly remember my family-friendly environs in Kathmandu.

Later I could know that Mr. Kim greeting me in Nepali system have had a two year stint in Kathmandu's KOICA office, located downstairs at the Korean embassy in Tahachal.

After exchange of greetings, Mr. Kin introduced me with his Director, yet another Kim, Mr. Kim Seung-Beom who is looking after Public relations office and is concurrently holding the post of the director. Director Kim admitted that in his country they had several Kims and hence nothing to get confused. Interestingly, Director Kim enjoyed my talks with the former Kim in Nepali language and encouraged us to continue in the same language with comfort. However, this was his modesty. Later we began talking on KOICA activities with reference to Nepal included.

Director Kim, who was by then well briefed by his friend Kim told me that Nepal and Korea had so many similarities in that both the nations lacked natural resources and had to compromise with whatever they had in their own possession.

"Thrust is being given to the enhancement of Human Resource development as it is this resource that we both have in common and in adequate numbers" said Director Kim adding that KOICA has been supporting various countries in the globe for the development of the HR so that the country could be developed through the skills of their own human resources.

"We support through volunteer programs", continued Kim. According to the Director of the KOICA and supported by manager Kim, about forty personnel from Korea were currently in Nepal working as volunteers in different sectors. The idea is to train the Nepali personnel so that they could adapt to the transfer of the technology gained from us.

For example, KOICA volunteers were currently sharing their expertise in the sectors such as Medicine, power-energy and Sports.

What was made known to me was that one Taekando coach was in Nepal working as a national coach for this sport.

Revealingly, KOICA had a tentative plan to spend some 1.2 million US$ in Nepal. The average spending in Nepal through KOICA, I was told, was 1.4 million annually.

"We have already spent a decade in Nepal. We began assisting Nepal officially from 1991 and this money is spent through grant aid and technical cooperation", explained both the Kims.

As regards the KOICA's presence in the world apart from Nepal, it was in attendance in more than 130 countries with 21 offices in the overseas. Total offices that KOICA had scattered all over the world were to the tune of thirty-five.

What made me to concentrate on director Kim's remarks was when he so plainly told me about the geographical location of Nepal and Korea.

" Look Mr. Upadhyaya, Seoul and Kathmandu are very close to each other except that the Chinese landmass comes in between", is what Kim said. In fact, this is a hard fact. The crux of the matter is that Chinese landmass touches Korea much the same way as it does to Nepal. This means that Seoul and Kathmandu are next door neighbor and that should we both wish to come more closer, we can do so through the use of the Chinese landmass.

Perhaps it is this nearness between Seoul and Kathmandu that many Buddhists in Korea wished to pay homage to Lord Buddha in Lumbini. Later I was told that Sanghai, China, could be the best route to land in Korea and Kathmandu both ways.

The tragedy is that Nepali government has no time to talk on such matters. The Korean side is ready, I was informed.

KOICA is an affiliate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

"Nepal can learn so many things from our experience that we gained from our beginning from the ruins some five decades ago", is what Mr. Kim said beamingly. In saying so, I could see in Mr. Kin's eyes the confidence that his country gained through hard labor, which has made all the Koreans proud.

As a suggestion to Nepal, Mr. Kim told me that Nepal, as a nation-state should make development its prime agenda. In the same vein he also assured me that Korea can be of some tangible support to Nepal should formal approach were made by Nepal.

"Our intent is to see a completely self-reliant Nepal", continued Mr. Kim which was later also subscribed by Manager Kim who had spent some years in Nepal and who knew the Nepali situation well including that of the Maoists insurgency.

As regards of the activities sponsored by KOICA central office, both the director and the manager of the KOICA told me that their agency more often than not invited personalities from friendly countries in order to share their experiences so that back home the trainees could use the gained expertise in their respective countries.

Pleasingly enough, the KOICA director and the manager informed me that the Koreans had already made a survey of the Kanti Raj Path last year itself. The only factor that was troubling in proceeding with the maintenance of this highway was the non-availability of the financial resources. Nevertheless, both the high officials at the KOICA made it clear that resources were being searched because this needed a huge budget. "We need at least 40 million dollars", is what Director Kim said.

"We should improve the road. It is a new project for a new road", added Manager Kim.

The KOICA manager, tentatively an expert on Nepal, however, suddenly said that Maoists insurgency too retarded the finalization of the project in Nepal's favor. The safety factor is also attached to this project, added manager Kim.

But then yet, talks are being held with Bank of Korea. We are also talking with Ex-Im bank which is Export-Import bank.

All in all, the KOICA could be of tangible support to Nepal provided the powers that be here decide with what Korean assistance to proceed in a priority basis. It should be the job and the duty of the Nepal government to exploit KOICA's friendly attitude towards us. The message should be clear to all those who are seated in Sigh Durbar.

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