Vietnam-RoK Labor Cooperation Forum held in Seoul

The July 1 event organized as part of PM Pham Minh Chinh’s ongoing official visit to the Republic of Korea.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the Vietnam – Republic of Korea (RoK) Labor Cooperation Forum in Seoul on July 1 to seek ways to improve the quality of bilateral collaboration in the labor field, according to a report from the Vietnam News Agency.

The event was held within the framework of the PM’s ongoing official visit to the RoK.

At the forum, delegates assessed that over the past 30 years, bilateral cooperation has achieved remarkable development, including in labor, employment and social security. They exchanged views on issues and stories to increase the quality of labor collaboration, thereby helping to promote and cultivate the increasingly developing relationship between the two countries.

PM Chinh was quoted by the news agency as stating that after more than 30 years of labor cooperation, despite ups and downs, it can be said that the presence of Vietnamese workers in the RoK is necessary, and Vietnamese guest workers are satisfied when working in the host country.

As the two countries have elevated their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, labor cooperation needs to be promoted to be commensurate with this relationship, the PM stressed.

He proposed the RoK continue to take the lead in training international human resources, including Vietnamese workers, to promote effective, sustainable and effective human resources cooperation activities that bring about benefits for both sides; while bringing highly qualified experts and managers to work in Vietnam; and increasing the quota for receiving Vietnamese workers under the Employment Permit System (EPS) program, and those working in the shipbuilding, agriculture, and fishery industries, and in the fields that RoK has demand like information technology, nursing and services.

The Korean side needs to continue strengthening coordination, exchange, and information sharing with Vietnamese authorities to create a favorable, safe, friendly, and culturally harmonious environment for Vietnamese workers in the host country, and ensure employees enjoy their legitimate interests and comply with the host nation’s laws, thereby minimizing violations of law in the RoK and well implementing the two countries’ agreement on social insurance, the PM said.

He emphasized the need to educate workers to understand and comply with the law; have better understanding of local culture to adapt to local life; and have professional skills and foreign languages to work more effectively.

He asked ministries, sectors and localities to increase support in terms of employment and start-up, connect job supply and demand for workers returning from the RoK with Korean businesses investing in Vietnam, and regularly organize vocational training and career guidance courses for them.

The PM expressed his belief that, with the high determination and great efforts from both sides, on the foundation of the Vietnam – RoK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, economic and labor cooperation will continue to be an important pillar in the bilateral relations, and driving forces to bring the relationship to a new height for common prosperity.