Vietnam and Korea have pledged to elevate forestry cooperation into a new phase, expanding collaboration on forest restoration, legal timber trade, and carbon credit development.
During his August 8 trip to Seoul, Acting Minister of Agriculture and Environment of Vietnam Tran Duc Thang, met with Lim Sang-seop, Minister of the Korea Forest Service (KFS). The two sides reaffirmed their comprehensive partnership and witnessed the signing of cooperation documents to guide future joint programs.
Acting Minister Tran Duc Thang and Minister Lim Sang-seop witnessed the signing of documents between specialized agencies, marking a new stage of development, further strengthening the ties between the two Ministries, and promoting forestry cooperation between the two countries.Acting Minister Thang said Vietnam values Korea’s support since the 2023 cooperation memorandum and seeks to learn from its experience in sustainable forest development and climate adaptation to raise forest coverage and improve livelihoods for five million people reliant on forests.
Minister Lim stressed the importance of the REDD+ program as a starting point for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. He proposed closer coordination in mangrove restoration, eco-park development, and sharing Korea’s satellite-based forest monitoring know-how.
Vietnam, the world’s second-largest exporter of timber products, pledged to maintain legal timber supply and called for deeper collaboration on digital transformation, AI in forest management, and carbon credit initiatives. The meeting concluded with an invitation for KFS leaders to visit Vietnam to map out cooperation programs for 2026–2030.
The Korea Forest Service Founded in 1967, the Korea Forest Service (KFS) spearheaded nationwide reforestation after severe post-war deforestation. Between 1970 and 1990, large-scale restoration programs planted more than 11 billion trees, raising forest cover to over 64%—one of the highest in Asia. Today, KFS is recognized as a global model for forest recovery and climate-responsive forestry strategies. |