Protest Clash Claims Lives Of Two Nepalese Youths In South Korean Job Exam Dispute

Two Nepalese youths lost their lives as clashes erupted between protesting job aspirants and police, stemming from their exclusion from a South Korean employment exam, triggering a broader dispute over access to the examination.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 29 December 2023 7:58 pm

Nepal Protest

In a tragic turn of events in Lalitpur city, two Nepalese youths lost their lives during a clash between police and a group of job aspirants protesting their exclusion from a South Korean employment exam. The demonstrators, who had recently failed the shipbuilding jobs test under Nepal's Employment Permit System examination, were denied participation in other EPS categories, as reported by PTI.?

Expressing their grievances, hundreds of disgruntled youths gathered at Gwarko area in Lalitpur, demanding the opportunity to take the exam for manufacturing sector jobs in South Korea. The situation escalated as clashes with the police ensued, resulting in the unfortunate demise of two protesters.

Adding to the turmoil, the protesters set fire to a government vehicle belonging to Physical Infrastructure and Transport Minister Prakash Jwala, who narrowly escaped the incident. Police responded with tear gas, firing in the air, and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd, resulting in injuries to both police officers and demonstrators.

In a significant development, the Patan High Court issued an interim order, instructing the government to allow all applicants to participate in all categories of the EPS exams. This ruling opens the door for the 28,000 youths who failed the shipbuilding test to now take part in the EPS test for various job sectors in South Korea.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs has initiated a three-member committee to investigate the incident in Balkumari that led to the loss of two lives, as reported by the Nepalese media.