The Government of Nepal, at the request of the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), has decided to waive the climbing royalty for the Jugal Himal expedition team.

The decision regarding this matter was made during the Cabinet meeting held on Thursday, March 1, 2023. The Government spokesperson, the honorable Minister for Communication and Information Technology Ms. Rekha Sharma, informed the press about the decision.

In commemoration of the 50 years of Nepal–Korea relationship, a joint expedition team from Nepal and Korea is endeavoring to summit Jugal I (6,590m) and II (6,518m) this season. Jugal I and II Himal are situated in the Jugal Himal range in Jugal Rural Municipality of Sindhupalchok, which was opened by the Government of Nepal for climbing activities last year.

According to the decision made during the Cabinet meeting, the royalty will be waived for seven Korean and three Nepali climbers who will jointly embark on Jugal I and Jugal II expeditions on April 7. The NMA has been exclusively working for the promotion of Jugal Himal since the Government of Nepal decided to open these peaks for climbing activities.

Last year, with technical support and recommendation from the NMA, the Government of Nepal decided to open 5 peaks of the Jugal Himal range for climbing activities. Shortly after the Government's decision, the NMA entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Jugal Rural Municipality for the promotion of these peaks.

Based on this MoU, the President of the NMA, Mr. Nima Nuru Sherpa, and Treasurer, Mr. Mukti Pandey, during their visit to Korea last August, approached the Korean team through the Korean Alpine Association and Um Hong Gil Human Foundation for the joint expedition.

The team has also completed the route survey work. A joint route survey team comprising members of the NMA, Korean Alpine Federation, Um Hong Gil Human Foundation, and Jugal Rural Municipality conducted the route survey work last January.

Now, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Civil Aviation, the NMA, Korean Alpine Association, Um Hong Gil Human Foundation, Nepal Tourism Board and Jugal Rural Municipality, will jointly organize the expedition.

The team will attempt to scale the virgin peaks – Jugal I and II in Sindhupalchowk district, and they will be flagged off by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' and Korean Ambassador to Nepal Park Taeyoung on April 6, 2024.