Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister Tiến said Việt Nam and RoK had cooperated in the health sector in the past, including at state and private hospitals and medical schools.

Tiến said the new MoU was based on the previously-signed one. The new MoU included new contents to make it more suitable with present circumstances.

Tiến proposed three ways in which Việt Nam’s health sector expected to work with RoK, namely medical career training and certification, setting up financial mechanisms including health insurance and improving people’s health.

She said the new MoU was necessary for the two countries. It helped the two discuss in detail and put in place cooperative programmes that are achievable and suitable for both sides.

On his part, Minister Neunghoo agreed that the two countries should continue discussions to develop more practical cooperation mechanisms.

In medical career training and certification, Park said accepting a country’s medical work permit in another country could be considered even though the training curriculum in the two countries is different.

At present, many South Korean doctors are working in Việt Nam.

For the second element of cooperation, the South Korean minister confirmed that RoK was ready to share information about health insurance with Việt Nam.

Currently, 100 per cent of South Korean people have signed up for health insurance.

He said the country would also share experience on improving residents’ health, and proposed that the two countries could work together in producing medicines./.