Minister of the Korean Family and Women accompanied by a number of Korean female Parliamentarians and the Governor of Gyeongsangbuk Province warmly welcomed VWU delegation and highly appreciated great efforts, potentiality and important achievement which Vietnam has gained in the present national construction as well as the success of Vietnam in the war against the French colonialists and American imperialists in the past. The Minister also highly appreciated the important role of Vietnam in South East Asia, especially the participation and contribution of women in the development cause of each country.
Although Korea ranked 11th in the world on the rate of economic development, Korean women still haven’t benefited all their rights. In recent years, Korean National Policy on Women, Gender Equality has been implemented more effectively by the Korean Government. In a lot of agencies (Foreign Affair, Justice, Healthcare…) women account for 50% and this is the first time Korea has a female Prime Minister. In the coming Presidency Election on December, both Parties have female candidates.
An issue which was regularly discussed in working sessions is international marriage which especially includes the issue of Vietnamese brides in Korea. The Korean Government has taken various methods to prevent and solve unsound marriage agency and help foreign brides to integrate into life. The Ministry of Family & Women is assigned to take the lead in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Security, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs…to design a project proposal on managing international marriage, including from marriage brokerage to immigration and community integration. The Korean Parliament’s Welfare and Healthcare Commission is drafting the “Ordinance on Management of Marriage Agencies” while the Parliament Commission on Family and Women is drafting the ordinance on “Supporting multi-cultural families for settlementand integration” .
In Gyeongsangbuk Province, the delegation received solemn welcome. Flags of the two countries were suspended along the road to the Province’s Guest House. Leaders of the province introduced its fields of action as well as its efforts in helping foreign brides to integrate into new life in Korea through 3 projects namely: providing enough information before marriage, on safe immigration and national joining (teaching Korean language, Korean culture, Korean eating and drinking, Korean manners and customs…); supporting to adapt to circumstance (providing support so that women could have economic independence; creating jobs; lending long-term capital, granting savings books and insurance cards; decreasing interest of international remittance…); setting up hotline 1366…
In meetings and working sessions, Ms. Ha Thi Khiet highly appreciated thegreat efforts in different fields, especially the gigantic economic development that the Republic of Korea has made thus ranking Korea among the newly industrialized countries (NICs) in the world. . She emphasized that the friendly relations and the cooperation between the two countries are developing more and more. Korea is one of Vietnam’s major partners and the 3rd biggest investor to Vietnam. She also introduced important achievements which Vietnam has gained in the innovation process as well as the contribution of the Vietnamese women to the cause of national construction, defence and development. Regarding the international marriage, as a representative organization of women, the VWU has conducted a lot of practical activities to mobilize, communicate, train and advise women to implement the Marriage and Family Law as well as to apply different methods in protection of women.
During the visit in the Republic of Korea, the delegation received warm welcome, esteem and cooperation of Korean agencies. Both parties openly exchanged commonly concerns related to women and family. The visit contributed to enhance the mutual understanding as well as the friendly relationship and cooperation between women in both countries.
According to Tran Hoa
Translated by the Int’l Relations Dept., 
