Relationship dossier
Nepal
South Korea
Relationship assessment
Labor mobility and development assistance underpin Nepal–South Korea cooperation.
Nepal toward South Korea
+30The Nepali government participates in South Korea’s Employment Permit System, facilitating the recruitment and placement of Nepali workers in South Korea.
South Korea toward Nepal
+40The South Korean government has provided development assistance to Nepal through KOICA and concessional financing, and has employed Nepali workers under its Employment Permit System.
Overall relationship
+35The relationship has durable practical foundations in labor mobility and South Korean development assistance to Nepal. These cooperative arrangements are significant, though the relationship is not characterized by an exceptionally close strategic partnership.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Nepal and South Korea maintain practical cooperation centered on labor migration and development. Nepal participates in South Korea’s Employment Permit System, which has enabled Nepali workers to take up employment in South Korea. South Korean development assistance to Nepal, including cooperation through KOICA and concessional financing, is another substantive part of the relationship.
Key developments
Nepal and South Korea established diplomatic relations.
Nepal began participating in South Korea’s Employment Permit System, creating a framework for Nepali workers to seek employment in South Korea.
Major uncertainties
- The current scope and implementation of bilateral development and financing arrangements are unclear.
- Details of the latest administration and terms of the Employment Permit System are limited.