HÀ NỘI —South Korea should share its experiences and assist Việt Nam in perfecting its legal framework on environmental issues, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Võ Tuấn Nhân said yesterday.

Addressing the 13^th Việt Nam – South Korea Environment Ministerial Meeting in Hà Nội, he said South Korean laws on the environment are said to be very effective.

Therefore, Việt Nam can learn valuable lessons from South Korea in legally protecting its environment. The nation looks forward to applying such lessons as soon as possible, he said.

Việt Nam now suffers a lack of national standards on emission, waste water and solid waste,  Nhân said, requesting South Korea’s environment ministry to send a team of experts later this year to help formulate such standards.

South Korean Minister of Environment, Cho Kyeung Kyu, said he agreed with Nhân on the need for an effective legal framework and stringent national standards.

More detailed discussions to take place on these issues so that South Korea can provide proper assistance, Cho said.

He said South Korea had a major law on environment and 63 sub-laws. Since the English-version of the major law was available now, his ministry would send it to Việt Nam first.

Vietnamese Minister of Environment Trần Hồng Hà said Việt Nam was re-structuring its economy towards green growth and low carbon emissions.

Hà suggested South Korea provides assistance in perfecting policies, co-operates in biodiversity conservation and provides training in environmental management during 2017-20.

Hà said he highly appreciated the co-operation forged by the two countries on environmental issues in the last decade. He hoped this would be broadened in the coming years with greater liaisons at the Government level.

Cho said he also expected the two ministries to strengthen co-operation in biodiversity conservation and human resource development. —VNS