The Department of Immigra­tion has prevented two North Korean women on expired visas from entering Nepal. According to the country’s Immigration laws, for­eigners on tourist visa cannot stay in Nepal for over 150 days in a year. The North Korean women, who had already stayed in Nepal for 150 days in 2018, had gone to China on June 24. They were detained at the airport when trying to reenter Nepal on June 25. The two women will not be allowed into Nepal in 2018. Although both the women request­ed visa renewal, the Immigration officers declined.

 

Why the women wanted to stay in Nepal even after the expiry of their visa is unclear. The two were found to be illegally employed at the Pyongyang Arirang Restau­rant in Durbarmarg. Under the protection of the North Korean embassy in Nepal, North Korean nationals have been operating the restaurant at Durbarmarg, as well a hospital at Damauli, Tanahun and an Information Technology-related company in Kathmandu.

 

Previously, the Metropoli­tion Crime Division of Nepali Police had raided the Pyongyang Arirang restaurant and arrested 11 North Koreans working there without permits.

 

The two North Koreans in ques­tion—Ji Yun Gyong and Kim Un Hye—who deported by the Immigra­tion department on June 25, were also among those arrested in the previous raid.

 

“We found out that they had gone to China for a night, hoping that their visas would be renewed when they came back to Nepal,” said an employee at the immigration office in the Tribhuvan International Airport.

 

By SHAMBHU KATTEL