Vietnam - South Korea focus on resource management and environmental protection

On the morning of March 5, a delegation from the Korea Institute of Environmental Technology and Industry (KIETI), led by Acting President Kim Young Ki, visited and held a working session at the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. This was the first international delegation to visit and engage in discussions at the Ministry.

The meeting focused on evaluating the implementation of activities under the Comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Cooperation, discussing preparations for the Vietnam - South Korea Ministerial Conference in 2025, promoting the efficient use and operation of water infrastructure, and proposing collaborative initiatives in the fields of environment and water resources between the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the Korea Institute of Environmental Technology and Industry.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh highly appreciated the cooperation programs implemented between the two sides in recent years, particularly in the fields of climate change, biodiversity, water resource management, environmental pollution control, and circular economy development. He emphasized that Vietnam and South Korea should further strengthen cooperation in implementing the Resource Recycling Industrial Park project, with a focus on water resource management and river basin governance.

According to the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Vietnam sees an opportunity to learn from South Korea’s experience in integrating economic development with environmental protection, particularly in managing clusters of recycling enterprises to align with national policies.

"The projects between the two sides are being implemented with the active participation of various units. After the consolidation of units under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, we will work closely with our counterparts to establish clear cooperation outcomes and prepare for the meeting between the two Ministers at the end of this year," the Deputy Minister stated.

The leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment also mentioned the working session between Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and 35 South Korean enterprises, which aims to strengthen business and investment in biotechnology, power plants, and nuclear power plants - Vietnam’s current key investment priorities.

Mr. Kim Young Ki highly agreed with the proposal based on previous cooperation in the environmental field of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, especially the continuation of the Resource Recycling Industrial Park project.

Among the project areas, there are several initiatives actively implemented by the Ministry of Environment of South Korea, including the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) and circular economy projects. Regarding the implementation of the Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR) system and specific programs in various provinces and cities in Vietnam, the projects will be carried out swiftly to support the development of an effective information-sharing mechanism.

The Ministry of Environment of South Korea has supported Vietnam in policy research and study visits to learn from South Korea's water resource management experience. It has also assisted in the development of Law on Water Resources No. 28/2023/QH15 and the inter-provincial river basin integrated planning approved by the Government, contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6 on "Ensuring access to water and sanitation for all."

At the conclusion of the meeting, representatives of both Ministries' leadership agreed on the discussions and proposals and shared expectations that the cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of Vietnam and the Ministry of Agriculture of South Korea will continue to explore promising topics.

Within the framework of implementing the State-level Memorandum of Understanding on comprehensive cooperation in the field of environment between the two Ministries signed in 2023, the Department of Environment (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) is currently working with partners from the Ministry of Environment of South Korea to develop and implement two projects: "Establishing a real-time monitoring system for chimney emissions and providing institutional support for managing air pollutant emissions in Vietnam" and "Developing the Asian Partnership for an Air Quality Information System using Geospatial Technology."