24 South Koreans Detained Near Biratnagar for Illegal Religious Activities; Drugs Seized at City Jail

Biratnagar dominated regional headlines this week after 24 South Korean nationals were detained in Sundarharaicha, Morang, for conducting religious activities while holding only tourist visas, with the group having arrived via Biratnagar Airport before being handed over to Kathmandu's immigration department. Separately, 480 drug tablets were intercepted from two women attempting to bring contraband into Biratnagar jail, while a detailed report revealed the city is confronting a long-term erosion of its manufacturing base.

24 South Korean Nationals Detained for Religious Activities on Tourist Visas in Morang

Twenty-four South Korean nationals were taken into custody from Sundarharaicha, Morang, after intelligence indicated they were conducting religious activities, training, and proselytization under the guise of a tourist visit. The group was linked to Nepal New Covenant College, located at Sundar Danda in Sundarharaicha Municipality-7, Morang, an institution associated with Love Nepal Mission. The 24 individuals had arrived on tourist visas and traveled from Kathmandu to the Biratnagar area on October 6 and 7 using Buddha Air and Yeti Air — sixteen on the first day and eight on the second. Six stayed at the Nepalarika Hotel in Sundarharaicha Municipality-9, while the remaining eighteen were housed within the college's dormitory. Among those detained was Love Nepal Mission President Dr. Park Gui Hwan, along with others including Baek Yanggelin, Chang Je Han, Cho Hyesong, and Choi Sungsik. The group had planned to remain in Nepal until October 12 and conduct religious programs. Assistant Chief District Officer of Morang Pawanraj Koirala confirmed the 24 individuals were handed over to the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu by air for investigation and deportation proceedings under the Foreign Citizen Monitoring Directive, 2075. Nepal prohibits foreign nationals on tourist visas from participating in religious education, training, or proselytization. [2]

🗳️ 480 Drug Tablets Seized from Two Women Visiting Biratnagar Jail

Police seized 480 drug tablets from two women visiting inmates at the Biratnagar jail in Morang, in an incident that underscores ongoing challenges around contraband entering the prison system. The drugs were recovered during a routine check at the main entrance of the prison office, located in Haatkhola of Biratnagar Metropolitan City-8, on Wednesday. The two women — Melina Tamang and Purnima Tamang, both residents of Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City-11 in Sunsari district — were found to be carrying the pills concealed inside pads worn in their inner garments. The recovery included 240 green-colored and 240 orange-colored tablets in total. The discovery was made during regular security screening of visitors at the prison entrance. Both women were detained following the seizure. The incident highlights the methods used to smuggle narcotics into correctional facilities and the importance of thorough entry checks at prisons. Biratnagar jail, as one of the detention facilities serving Morang and the surrounding districts of eastern Nepal, faces ongoing scrutiny over its ability to prevent contraband from reaching inmates. The case was reported on October 15, 2026, and brings renewed attention to substance-related challenges within the city's correctional system. [4]

🏢 Biratnagar Loses Its Industrial Identity as Factories Relocate Out of the City

Biratnagar is experiencing a gradual but significant loss of its manufacturing base, with one of the city's oldest mills — Chandra Shiva Rice and Oil Mill — having relocated from its longstanding site at Thulo Mill Chowk to Hattimuda in Budhiganga Rural Municipality. The mill was among the earliest industries in northern Biratnagar, and the urban area developed around it over decades, giving the intersection east of Kanchanbari its distinctive local name. The pattern mirrors broader trends in a city that was once Nepal's first major industrial centre. Its southern Rani area remains known as the Mills Area due to industries such as Biratnagar Jute Mill — Nepal's very first major industry — along with Morang Sugar Mill, Ashok Textile, and a match factory. Biratnagar also holds the distinction of being the birthplace of Nepal's labour movement, with workers at Biratnagar Jute Mill conducting historic strikes that are commemorated at a site still known as Hadatali Haat. The city's factories once processed jute, cotton, rice, and oilseeds from across Morang, Sunsari, and Jhapa, stimulating agricultural production throughout the region. With factories now departing, Biratnagar faces the challenge of redefining its economic identity, according to the myRepublica report by Binod Subed published on October 7, 2026. [6]

Sources: [2] Ratopati · [4] Hamro Patro · [6] myRepublica