South Korea-Vietnam Forum focuses on women’s role in peace and security

The 10th South Korea-Vietnam Women's Forum held in Seoul this week focused on the role of women in peace and security, said Mun Yoo Kyoung, President of the Korean Women's Development Institute (KWDI).

Under the theme "Women, Peace and Security," this year's forum discussed future directions for the peace and security agenda, the position of the Vietnam Women's Union (VWU), and social affairs in South Korea, Mun Yoo Kyoung said. 

She added that after a three-year hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the forum has returned to a face-to-face format between the two countries, with the expectation of opening a new period of more effective exchanges between Vietnamese and South Korean women.

Mun Yoo Kyoung said the South Korea-Vietnam Women's Forum was established in 2013 to discuss gender equality issues between the two countries, and it can be seen that the forum is increasingly playing an important role as a bridge for research and development of policies on women.

KWDI’s President Mun Yoo Kyoung addresses the event. Photo: VNA

Over the past years, the number of Vietnamese women living, studying, and working in South Korea has increased steadily; the study and exchange of culture between the two countries has become indispensable. Moreover, the forum has conducted lively discussions on outstanding issues of gender equality, including strategies to promote gender mainstreaming and strengthen the role of women.

Mun Yoo Kyoung underlined that the forum is an opportunity for local authorities and organizations of the two countries to expand cooperation for the development of women and the sustainable development of the two peoples.

She appreciated the effectiveness of gender equality work after each forum. In order to successfully build an equal society, the role of policy advisory for women is very important in building a broad network of links with agencies related to women's policies in countries around the world, Mun Yoo Kyoung stressed.

The president also affirmed that, in the coming time, the South Korean institute will keep promoting cooperative activities with the VWU to connect women's agencies and departments in all fields for a better future for women in both countries.

For her part, VWU Vice President Ton Ngoc Hanh said relations between Vietnam and South Korea have made impressive progress, and women from both countries have made significant contributions to bilateral relations.

Hanh stressed that cooperation between Vietnamese and South Korean women has grown rapidly in both quantity and quality.

VWU Vice President Ton Ngoc Hanh speaks at the forum. Photo: VNA

"The event has been organized for more than 10 years and has become a successful bilateral forum for exchanging experiences in promoting gender equality in various fields and enhancing mutual understanding and friendship," the Vice President said. 

She highlighted that the 10th Forum was in line with the agenda of the United Nations and governments and significant for both Vietnam and South Korea in terms of traditional and non-traditional issues.

During the forum, women delegates from both sides exchanged presentations, including the role of the VWU in overcoming the consequences of war and building a culture of peace.

The KWDI is a governmental research institute specializing in gender and family research in South Korea. As such, the institute provides research and recommendations for the establishment of national gender equality policies.

Last year, the 9th Vietnam-Korea Women's Forum opened in late August with the theme "Covid-19 from a Gender Perspective: Women's Experiences and Policy Responses in South Korea and Vietnam". The Forum was held in a hybrid format in Hanoi and Seoul.

The event was part of activities to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and South Korea in 2022, as well as contributing to the implementation of the cooperation agreement between the VWU and the KWDI. The forum was also a good opportunity to explore cooperation between Vietnamese and South Korean partners.

After 30 years of diplomatic relations [1992-2022], Vietnam-South Korea relations have made a great stride in all spheres, especially in economic, social, and cultural aspects. Vietnam is currently South Korea’s fourth-largest trading partner and South Korea is Vietnam’s third-largest.

The South Korean side has encouraged people-to-people exchanges as a driving force for cultural cooperation between the two countries, especially with the increasing mobility of people between Vietnam and South Korea for work, study, and living.