S.Korea to open more sectors to Vietnamese workers, boost technology transfer

President Lee made the commitment during talks with Vietnamese State President Luong Cuong on Thursday on the sidelines of the 2025 APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in the South Korean city of Gyeongju.

Lee acknowledged Vietnam’s role as a key partner in South Korea’s regional policy and praised its impressive development progress.

He said Seoul would raise labor quotas and broaden the range of industries accessible to Vietnamese workers while enhancing technology transfer and investment cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, energy, and urban development.

President Cuong conveyed greetings from Party General Secretary To Lam and other senior leaders, saying that Vietnam values its partnership with South Korea and aims to deepen cooperation in a practical and sustainable manner.

He called for joint efforts to realize the bilateral trade target of US$150 billion by 2030, and pledged to create favorable conditions for South Korean enterprises to make long-term investments in Vietnam.

The two leaders agreed to continue implementing existing cooperation mechanisms and effectively realize agreements reached during General Secretary Lam’s state visit to South Korea in August 2025.

Both sides were also committed to making science, technology, innovation, digital transformation, and human resource development new pillars of cooperation, alongside education, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.

President Cuong urged South Korea to continue safeguarding the rights and welfare of the Vietnamese community living and working there.

They exchanged views on regional and global issues, with President Luong congratulating South Korea on successfully hosting APEC 2025 and expressing Vietnam’s hope for Seoul’s support in its bid to host APEC 2027.

Both leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to peace, stability, and freedom of navigation in the East Vietnam Sea, calling for disputes to be settled peacefully in accordance with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Vietnam and South Korea established diplomatic relations in 1992, upgraded their ties to a strategic partnership in 2009, and further to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2022.