The Korean Consulate on Guam and the Korean Association of Saipan are keeping their eye on these nursing graduates, while CNMI authorities are now looking into the background of the man who brought them on island.
The consulate, according to one of the association members who declined to be identified, said they just want to know whether it’s legal for these nursing graduates to work here as interns.
The Korean nursing graduates, he said, have been on the island for over two weeks now.
They were brought here by Jay Kim, a businessman, who is now being investigated for bringing in three other Koreans under questionable circumstances.
In a separate interview, Department of Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez confirmed that there were nine nurses who wanted to work as volunteers at the hospital. They were accompanied by Kim.
The nurses, who passed the NCLEX, later wanted to be classified as CHC interns.
Villagomez said CHC turned down the request because the hospital does not have a sanctioned internship program for medical personnel.
He said he explained to the Korean nurses that they could perform clerical duties at the hospital on a voluntary basis only.
The nine nurses, Villagomez, said, never worked at CHC but may still be on island.
