Kathmandu / Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Prasad Saud said that they were ready to welcome Korean investors and entrepreneurs in a large number in the upcoming third Investment Summit.

Nepal is hosting the Summit in Nepal on coming April 28 and 29. At a programme organized to mark the 50th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Republic of South Korea here today, Minister Saud said that they were keen to see Korean companies expanding their investment in Nepal.

Stating that if Korean companies such as Samsung, Hyundai Motors among others would express keen interest to explore investment opportunities in Nepal, he said the Government of Nepal would tap on those opportunities. 

"There is a tremendous potential to expand economic cooperation between our two countries. Let us explore those opportunities. Let's increase bilateral trade and investment. Let's further strengthen our partnership in the fields of agriculture, energy, tourism and information technology," the Minister urged.

Citing thousands of Nepalis migrant workers and students are residing in South Korea, and thousands of South Korean tourists are visiting Nepal, he pledged to further expand such exchange programmes.
It may be noted that Nepal and the Republic of Korea established diplomatic relations on May 15, 1974.

Stating that the relation between the two countries is becoming stronger, Minister Saud observed that this tie was based on friendship, cordiality, cooperation and mutual relations.

Affirming that Nepal would learn a lot of lessons from the success stories of progress and prosperity achieved by South Korea in a short span of time, he asserted that Nepal would like to enhance partnership in the areas of mutual benefits.

Similarly, Kewal Prasad Bhandari, Secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, lauded the priority accorded by the government of South Korea for Nepalis in the employment sector and believed that the skills, knowledge and experience earned by Nepalis workers in South Korea would be useful for Nepal. 

According to him, the contributions made by South Korean government in the development sector of Nepal had further expanded friendly and brotherly ties between the two countries.

Similarly, South Korean Ambassador to Nepal, Park Tae-Young, asserted that the journey of 50 years was a story of shared values, mutual respect and commitment to build a better future for the people of both countries.

During this period, South Korean envoy opined that the bilateral ties between the two countries flourished and remained as a strong bond. He argued that   cooperation between South Korea and Nepal was a strong catalyst for personal and economic development. 

He said, "I would like to congratulate leaders and citizens of the both countries for reaching this historic milestone. It is a strong testament to sacrifices and dedication of the countless individuals who have worked relentlessly to build and expand the relations and to enhance understanding and foster the cooperation between the two countries."

On the occasion, the Minister and the Ambassador jointly unveiled the logo commemorating the 50th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. 

They also launched a book 'Tapain pani malik banna saknu huncha (You Can Also Become A Master)', based on the success stories of Nepali migrant workers from South Korea's Employment Permit System (EPS) programme.