Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has expressed his readiness to send more workers to South Korea if the country considers increasing job quotas for Nepalis.

During a meeting with Chung Eui-hwa, speaker of the National Assembly of South Korea, at his office on Monday, the PM said that a growing number of Nepalis are attracted to work in South Korea due to better pay and perks.

Oli’s proposal comes at a time when the South Korean government is making significant job cuts for foreign workers. The South Korean Human Resource Department has allocated 3,100 job quotas for Nepali workers for 2017, around 65 percent less than the quotas reserved for Nepal a year earlier.

South Korea had allocated 8,490 jobs quotas for Nepali workers in 2016. South Korea hires workers from 15 countries under its Employment Permit System.

“Nepal could send more workers to South Korea if the government there increases the job quotas,” Gopal Khanal, PM’s chief foreign affairs advisor, quoted Oli as saying.

Chung, who was present in the meeting with a delegation of South Korean parliamentarians, said he would put the proposal before his government. He said that Korean employers were happy to hire Nepalis as they were hardworking and honest.

“Our government is committed to providing competitive salary and facilities to foreign workers including Nepalis,” a senior official quoted Chung as saying in the meeting.

South Korea has emerged as one of the most sought after destinations for Nepali workers, even young and educated youths, due to low recruitment cost, better benefit schemes and high salary compared to the Gulf countries. Nepali workers earn anywhere between Rs100,000 and Rs200,000 each month for menial jobs.

It costs around Rs100,000 for Nepali workers in the migration process once they are shortlisted from the Korean language and skill test.

Nepali workers mainly work as unskilled labourers in manufacturing, agriculture and farming sectors. Nepalis started going to work in South Korea after the country signed a memorandum of understanding with Nepal on July 31, 2007.

During the meeting, the South Korean delegation also congratulated PM Oli on successful promulgation of the new constitution and suggested that Nepal now focus on economic development. Stressing that South Korea was willing to invest in Nepal, the delegates asked the Nepali side to introduce investor-friendly policies.