Twenty-four South Koreans have been arrested in Nepal for participating in a religious program while visiting the country on tourist visas, local media reported Monday.
According to Nepalese online news outlet Ratopati, the arrests were recently made after they took part in the religious training program at New Covenant College, a Christian educational institution in the Morang district of Koshi province in eastern Nepal.
New Covenant College operates with support from a South Korea-based Christian missionary organization and provides religious studies and education, according to local reports.
Nepalese police reportedly arrested the South Koreans after determining that some of their activities may have violated the terms of their tourist visas.
Foreign nationals entering Nepal on tourist visas are not permitted to engage in religious education or missionary activities.
Seoul's foreign ministry said it was aware of the arrests and had been in close contact with Nepalese authorities through the South Korean Embassy in Nepal since learning of the incident.
The ministry said it could not disclose further details to protect the individuals' privacy and because the Nepalese authorities' investigation was ongoing. (Yonhap)