KATHMANDU, May 17: It has been found that Nepali workers going to South Korea are being cheated in the name of distributing prepaid SIM cards illegally.
It has been found that prepaid SIM cards are being illegally distributed to Nepali workers going to South Korea on the office premises of EPS Korea branch in Lalitpur.
Labor migration to Korea highest in nine years
Although the SIM cards are being distributed free of charge, it has been found that the SIM cards belong to foreigners who have visited Korea and left them after a few days of use. Pushparaj Katuwal, director of EPS Korea branch, said that although SIM card distribution is said to be free, it has been found that up to 3,000 rupees per person is being collected in the name of recharge.
He said that after it was found that prepaid SIM cards were being distributed illegally, he informed the relevant agencies including Nepal Police, Department of Commerce, Supplies & Consumer Protection, to stop the work. He said that he had sent a letter to the police and the Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection on December 19, 2022, requesting them to follow up and take action against the illegal sale and distribution of prepaid SIM cards to be used in Korea. Katuwal said that after the SIM card distribution did not stop, he informed the police for the second time on May 14.
Director of EPS Korea branch, Katuwal also said that service-seekers are being made to pay more than the set price for insurance, photocopying, printing and other works around the office premises. He said that the relevant agencies have been requested to stop the fraud immediately. He complained that even though five months had passed since the EPS Korea branch informed the authorities about the distribution of illegal SIM cards and other service-related frauds such as filling the forms of service users, the authorities concerned remained silent.
