(VOVworld) – As leaders of foreign investment in Viet Nam, Korean investors consider themselves to be local businesses contributing to Vietnam’s development, according to opinions shared at a conference in Ha Noi on Tuesday.

The conference, the first of its kind on Korean corporate social responsibility (CSR), was organised by the Korean Embassy, the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Korean Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, and the Ministry of Planning and Investment. Korean ambassador Jun Dae Joo said, as of August, the cumulative investment by Korea in Viet Nam had reached 43 billion USD, making Korea the top foreign investor in Vietnam. He added that when the Vietnam-Korea Free Trade Agreement goes into effect this year, the targeted bilateral trade of 70 billion USD by 2020 will become achievable. Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Van Trung expressed appreciation for the Korean CSR programs, calling them useful for Vietnam’s sustainable development. The CSR programs cover healthcare, culture, education, the environment, poverty reduction, and new rural development in Vietnam.