Vietnam and the Republic of Korea Extend MoU on Youth Exchange Cooperation

On December 14, Hoang Quoc Long, head of the Ministry of Home Affairs’ youth affairs department, and Lee In-hyuk, Director-General of the Korean Foundation (KF) ASEAN Culture House, signed an extension of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in youth-related experience sharing and exchanges in Hanoi.

This activity is part of the international cooperation framework for building and implementing Vietnam’s youth development policy. Its aim is to promote cooperative relationships between parties and create favorable conditions for establishing a framework of cooperation programs in youth-related experience sharing and exchanges.

At the signing ceremony. Photo: Thu Hang

Accordingly, the duration of the memorandum, which was originally signed on December 25, 2019, has been adjusted to last until December 31, 2027, instead of the end of 2024 as previously agreed. All other terms remain in effect.

Long emphasized the importance of this modification, as it provides a legal basis for both parties to actively and effectively continue the cooperation program.

The signing ceremony holds great significance, demonstrating the efforts and responsibilities in maintaining and developing a sustainable cooperative relationship.

Long requested the KF to further support and create conditions for Vietnamese delegations to visit and work in the Republic of Korea (RoK), ensuring the objectives set forth by the program.

In response, Lee expressed hope that the memorandum would be further extended by its new due date, and that the ministry would continue organizing delegations of young leaders and intellectuals to the RoK in the near future.

Due to the global impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, both sides were unable to implement the memorandum in the years 2020, 2021, and 2022. Finally, in 2023, they were able to organize the first delegation exchange of young leaders and intellectuals as initially committed. The Home Affairs Ministry organized a delegation of 30 young leaders and intellectuals to visit and work in the RoK, while the KF also sent a delegation of 14 young leaders and intellectuals to visit and work in Vietnam.

The two sides will organize various activities as part of the exchange, including experience learning and youth exchange groups focused on areas such as leadership and management skills sharing, socio-economic development policies, hunger eradication and poverty reduction, building new rural areas, and smart agriculture in the RoK.

Additionally, the exchange will involve sharing experience in youth development policies at government agencies and localities, visiting economic models and historical sites, experiencing traditional culture, and promoting cultural exchange between young people of the two countries. Other areas of cooperation related to youth were also agreed upon by both sides.