Kathmandu: Youths who passed the language and skill tests under the Employment Permit System EPS staged a protest in Kathmandu on Monday, demanding immediate deployment to South Korea.

The protest was held at Maitighar, where demonstrators expressed frustration over not being selected by employers despite remaining on the EPS roster for a long time after passing the examinations.

The protesters demanded that the current two-year roster validity period be extended, arguing that many candidates are removed from the list if they are not selected by Korean employers within that timeframe.

They also called on the government to resend the files of successful candidates to employers in South Korea for reconsideration.

Participants carried placards with slogans such as “Scrap the system that blocks qualified youths from going to Korea,” “We need results, not assurances,” “Labour Minister resign for protecting corruption,” and “The government must deliver justice to victims.”

The demonstrators said they had fulfilled all required criteria for foreign employment but were still unable to secure placement in South Korea due to flaws in the existing system.