Attending the meeting were comrade Đặng Đức Thuận, Deputy Director of the Department of Overseas Labor, Ministry of Home Affairs, and leaders of various departments and sectors of Điện Biên province.

Provincial Party Secretary Trần Tiến Dũng expressed his joy and honor in welcoming the working delegation from the Gangwon-do provincial Agricultural and Fishery Human Resources Support Center to the capital city of Hanoi before their official visit and working session in Điện Biên province. The meeting was an opportunity to discuss the potential for cooperation in the fields of labor and employment, and the seasonal labor export program under the E-8 visa between Điện Biên province and Gangwon-do province. The provincial Party Secretary also affirmed the friendly relations and the fine tradition of cooperation between Vietnam and the RoK, and between Điện Biên province and Gangwon-do province.

At the meeting, the two sides discussed contents related to the labor potential and strengths of Điện Biên province, information about the E-8 seasonal labor program and the demand for agricultural labor in Gangwon-do, and the coordination in implementing management mechanisms, training, deposits, and support for workers.

Điện Biên province currently has about 380,000 people of working age (15-60), of whom over 70% have undergone vocational training or have a traditional craft certificate. The labor force mainly works in the agriculture and forestry sectors, accounting for over 70%. From 2020 to September 2025, the province has created new jobs for nearly 59,800 people, including 12,300 workers who received loans to create their own jobs, 22,000 workers employed by domestic enterprises, and 948 people who participated in labor export. As a result, the unemployment rate in urban areas has dropped sharply from 3.15% in 2019 to only 0.42% in 2024.

In response to the cooperation proposal from Gangwon-do province regarding the E-8 seasonal labor program, Điện Biên has committed to creating favorable conditions for the delegation to effectively implement human resource development, vocational training, technology transfer, and labor export programs, especially in supporting women and ethnic minority youth. The province also hopes that the Center will continue to connect, promote its potential, and attract Korean and international businesses and investors to cooperate in Điện Biên in the future.

Provincial Party Secretary Trần Tiến Dũng proposed that the Center allocate its entire recruitment plan of about 1,000 workers in 2026 to Điện Biên province. The province commits to supplying the full number, supporting training in conversational Korean, and coordinating the management of workers during their employment in the RoK. He also suggested that the Center report to the Gangwon-do provincial government to soon reach an agreement and move towards signing a memorandum of cooperation between the two provinces.

Mr. Kim Yong Ha, the Center’s Director, expressed his thanks and stated that he would discuss with the Gangwon-do government to promote the signing, which could take place either in the RoK or in Điện Biên.

After the meeting in Hanoi, the working delegation from the Gangwon-do provincial Agricultural and Fishery Human Resources Support Center will travel directly to visit and work in Điện Biên province.