Korean Sport Events for Vietnamese Students and Workers

The 13th Vietnam Student Sports Festival in the Republic of Korea (RoK) was held in Ansan city on August 19-20, as reported by VNA.

Nearly 1,000 Vietnamese students, graduates, and residents in the RoK participated in seven sports.

A table tennis match at the 13th Vietnam Student Sports Festival. Photo: VNA

Nguyen Viet Anh, minister-counselor at the Vietnamese Embassy in the RoK, stated that this is the largest and most anticipated annual event for Vietnamese students in the host country.

The festival helped foster solidarity among Vietnamese students and the Vietnamese community in the RoK, while also promoting the image of young and dynamic Vietnamese students to international friends. It further contributed to strengthening relations between Vietnam and the RoK.
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On August 20, a football tournament for Vietnamese laborers working in the RoK under the Employment Permit System (EPS) was also held in Ansan city.

The tournament attracted 20 teams from Seoul capital, Gyeonggi province, and Incheon city.

Minister-Counselor Anh noted that since 2004, around 140,000 Vietnamese people have traveled to the RoK to work under the EPS program, making valuable contributions to the relations between the two countries.

He emphasized the importance of Vietnamese workers uniting, abiding by contracts, complying with residency regulations, and integrating well into Korean society.

Football tournament for Vietnamese laborers working in the RoK. Source: Vietnam Employment Permit System Labour Management Office

Le Manh Hung, deputy director of the Center for Overseas Labor, congratulated the tournament on behalf of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs of Vietnam.

He highlighted the importance of effectively implementing the Memorandum of Understanding between the Vietnamese Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and the RoK’s Ministry of Employment and Labor to benefit both countries.

Hung projected that in 2023, the RoK is expected to receive over 10,000 Vietnamese workers as part of their foreign labor quota.

To achieve this goal, the Vietnamese side will continue to encourage workers to comply with the law, abide by their contracts, and return to Vietnam when their contracts expire.

The football tournament is an innovative approach to disseminating information and providing recreational opportunities for employees to recharge and connect with their compatriots.

Football tournament involving 20 teams from Seoul capital, Gyeonggi province, and Incheon city. Source: Vietnam Employment Permit System Labour Management Office

Kwon Soon-gil, director of the Foreign Workers Support Center of Ansan, acknowledged the contribution of foreign workers to the Korean economy.

He emphasized the importance of recreational activities for employees, especially for Vietnamese workers far from their families and facing numerous challenges.

Kwon expressed his hope that such sports activities would promote unity among Vietnamese workers and encourage them to strive for success in both Vietnam and the RoK.