PARLIAMENT

• Korea agrees to provide the necessary training for skilled workers in Sri Lanka and to increase the quota
• Korea's support for the development of rural agriculture in the island
• Agreement to provide the guidance and know-how to create an advanced public service similar to the Korean public service
• A decision to consider the issuance of free tourist visas for Korean tourists coming to Sri Lanka

Speaker of South Korea, Hon. Kim Jin-pyo assured the Speaker of Sri Lanka, Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena who is on an official visit to the Korea at the invitation of the Korean Speaker, that Korea will take steps to further increase the quota for skilled workers and to provide the necessary training in Sri Lanka to send more skilled workers for Korean jobs.

The Korean speaker today (Nov. 03) said this while responding to a request made by the speaker Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena during a meeting held at the Korean National Assembly, in Seoul.

The Korean speaker pointed out that currently more than 20,000 Sri Lankan workers are working in Korea and the quota given to Sri Lanka for skilled workers has been gradually increased.  

The speakers of the two countries assured that they will continue to strengthen the bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Korea, which has existed for almost five decades.

It was also agreed to extend the support for the establishment of the Smart Farming concept in Sri Lanka which was successfully implemented in Korea in order to uplift the rural agriculture.

Also, it was discussed to provide the necessary guidance and knowledge to improve the public service in Sri Lanka to the same level as the advanced public service in Korea. Accordingly, it was decided to make arrangements in the future to provide the necessary training to the public service including the parliamentary staff, through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

Attention was also paid to enhancing Korean investment opportunities in Sri Lanka. Pointing out the need to further create a more favorable environment for investments, the Korean speaker said that efforts are being made to further expand Korean investment opportunities in Sri Lanka.

Also Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said that in the future, the inclusion of Korea in the program of issuing free tourist visas will be considered.

A group of members of the Korean National Assembly also joined the meeting. Members of Parliament Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Hon. Nimal Piyatissa, Secretary General of Parliament Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera, former Korean Ambassador to Sri Lanka Mr. Santhush Woonjin Jeong and a group of officials were also present on the occasion.