By Yi Whan-woo

Korea will support Vietnam in updating its labor and employment policies as a part of its development assistance for underdeveloped countries, the labor ministry said Sunday.

Officials from the Ministry of Employment and Labor and their Vietnamese counterparts will sign an agreement in Hanoi today, through which Korea will share its work-related policies and experience. This is the first time for Korea to deliver its ideas on labor principles overseas.

The accord came after the Vietnamese government selected Korea as a role model in implementing a new system in the labor and employment market, the ministry said.

Seoul accepted the request, with a goal to promote Official Development Assistance (ODA), a government program that seeks to boost the economy and welfare of underdeveloped countries.

“We hope our skillful workforce will help Vietnam to implement labor policies effectively,” a ministry official said.

The official also anticipated that the ODA will pave the way for more local policy experts to work overseas, including the Philippines which also showed interest in learning Korea’s employment policies.

“I’m sure Vietnam and other nations that are interested in adopting our labor policies will benefit,” the official said.