The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, Lee Hak-young has commended the significant contribution made by Sri Lankan workers to the Korean economy and expressed his gratitude to Sri Lanka for their service.

He made these remarks during a meeting with Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Sunil Handunnetti.

During the discussion, Minister Handunnetti conveyed his appreciation to the Korean government for providing employment opportunities to Sri Lankan workers in the Korean labour market. He also highlighted that Sri Lanka possesses a highly skilled and well-trained workforce.

The meeting further emphasized the potential for Korean investors to invest in Sri Lanka, benefit from the local workforce, and access regional markets such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh with products manufactured in Sri Lanka.

Deputy Speaker Lee Hak-young noted that South Korea had also faced challenging economic periods in the past, similar to Sri Lanka’s current engagement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He expressed confidence that Sri Lanka would overcome its present challenges and progress towards becoming a developed economy.

The Korean delegation and Minister Handunnetti also discussed addressing visa-related issues affecting both countries, strengthening the longstanding 50-year friendship between Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea, and further expanding bilateral cooperation.