Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has dispatched two new Korea Overseas Volunteers (KOVs) to work in Nepal. They arrived in Kathmandu on January 10, 2024 and will dispatch to their concerned organizations on February 9, 2024 after completing the local adaptation training program.

Kyungdong Kim is set to be assigned to the Korean Language sector at Bishwa Vasha Campus, Kathmandu, while Youngman Lim will be deployed to the Tourism sector in Namobuddha Municipality, Kavre. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, KOICA re-launched its KOV program in December 2021, a total of 16 KOVs have been dispatched to Nepal in various sectors.

The volunteers will take one month of local adaptation training program in Kathmandu where they will learn about Nepalese society, culture, tradition as well as language. Such kind of adaptation program will be helpful for them to adjust and work in their concerned community/organization enabling them to be familiar with the Nepalese environment.

The objective of the KOV program is to focus more on transferring Korean knowledge and experiences directly at the grassroots level. However, these programs aimed to improve the quality of life of people in partner countries to strengthen the friendship and mutual understanding between Korea and partner countries and to help in the efforts to achieve development goals set by the international community.

Since 1990, KOICA volunteers have been assigned to different government organizations both within and outside the Kathmandu valley, in response to the requests and demands of the Nepalese government. They contribute to diverse sectors such as education, health, agriculture, IT, tourism, and more. As of now, a total of 436 volunteers have been sent to Nepal, with 8 KOICA volunteers presently engaged in active roles within various government institutions located in the Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur and Kaski Districts.

KOICA Nepal Office expressed commitment to take every possible measure in following the health protocol with regards to COVID-19 while implementing the KOV program.