Co-held by the permanent Office of the Steering Committee on Overcoming War Consequences of UXO and Toxic Chemicals in Vietnam (Office 701), the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the UN Development Program (UNDP), the launching ceremony of the project was attended by Lieutenant General Le Hien Van, Deputy Chief of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army and Deputy Head of the Steering Committee 701, and representatives of relevant central agencies as well as leaders of Quang Binh and Binh Dinh provinces.

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At the event

The Vietnam National Mine Action Center (VNMAC) was assigned by the Ministry of National Defense to managing and implementing the project in line with the agreed contents signed by the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam and KOICA. Accordingly, the project will focus on clearing bombs, mines and explosives in an area of 8,000ha in a number of localities in the two provinces of Quang Binh and Binh Dinh. As the statistics show, Quang Binh now has nearly 28% of its land area contaminated with UXO while the figure is 40% in Binh Dinh.

The RoK Government has committed to providing USD 20 million for the project and hopes that the project will leave an important milestone in the sincere friendship between the two countries. KOICA also hoped to have closer cooperation with the Government of Vietnam in carrying out this project, contributing to changing the lives of a remarkable number of people in Central Vietnam.

Translated by Huu Duong