Lao and Korean officials join representatives from international organisations and private companies for a group photo during the K-GREEN AGRO PARTNERING event held in Vientiane on Thursday.

Korea, Laos join hands to promote smart agricultural transformation

Laos and the Republic of Korea are strengthening cooperation in the agriculture sector to support green growth and promote the use of smart technologies for sustainable farming.
This commitment was underscored at the 2025 K-GREEN AGRO PARTNERING event, held on June 12 in Vientiane, which brought together more than 100 representatives from government agencies, international organisations, and private companies from both countries.
Co-hosted by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Laos, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment  of Laos, and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the event marked a new milestone in bilateral efforts to drive agricultural transformation.
The one-day event included a morning policy forum and an afternoon business-matching session, aimed at promoting investment in smart farming, sharing Korea’s advanced agricultural practices, and deepening development partnerships.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Korean Ambassador to Laos, Mr Jung Yung Soo, celebrated 30 years of diplomatic ties and reaffirmed Korea’s commitment to supporting Laos’s goal of agricultural modernisation.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment, Ms Chanthakhone Boualaphanh, highlighted the importance of deepening cooperation through Official Development Assistance (ODA) and trade. She urged Lao stakeholders to learn from Korea’s experiences in developing smart and sustainable agricultural systems.
FAO Representative to Laos, Ms Kim Kyung-Mee, emphasised the value of data-driven agricultural planning under the FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Initiative. She noted that Korea’s innovations in smart agriculture could help address key challenges facing Laos’s farming sector.
Key presentations were delivered by officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Ministry of Finance, FAO, KOICA, and the Korea Rural Community Corporation (KRC). These sessions covered Laos’s agricultural policies, investment incentives, and regional cooperation frameworks.
The Lao Farmers Network and Korean firm Solutek System also shared business case studies that provided practical models for future collaboration.
Two key cooperation documents were signed during the event. The first was a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Whybiz Corp. (Korea) and the National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI) to collaborate on smart agriculture research and development. The second was a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between Whybiz Corp. and the Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Laos, to pursue joint research and pilot projects.
Director General of the Department of Planning and Cooperation, Dr Boundeth Southavilay, expressed appreciation to all participants, stressing that continued cooperation was essential to advancing agricultural investment, environmental sustainability, and technical capacity in Laos.
Director General of KOTRA Vientiane, Mr Park Jungwe, concluded the forum by saying, “Today’s discussions offered valuable insights—from Laos’s vision of clean, sustainable food production to Korea’s cutting-edge smart farming technologies. These shared goals will serve as the foundation for closer cooperation between our two countries.”
He added that KOTRA would continue linking Korean and Lao companies, support joint projects with local governments, and share Korea’s agricultural know-how through programmes such as the Korea Knowledge Sharing Programme (KSP).
In the afternoon, 12 leading Korean companies in smart farming and eco-friendly agricultural inputs—such as Whybiz, INPRO, Helper Robotech, HBL, TG, Hyoshin Mechatronics, Capture, Agricultural Corporation Sinmirae, HYOSUNG ONB, O2&B, GENTOP, and AFFES—met with Lao businesses to explore partnership opportunities.
Lao participants included members of the Lao Agriculture Business Association, Meuang Lao Farm, Yodsam, LDCI Smart Farming, Maliny Group, DDC Group, and Toyo Pipe, among others.
The 2025 K-GREEN AGRO PARTNERING event concluded with renewed momentum for bilateral collaboration, paving the way for increased investment, innovation, and sustainability in Laos’s agriculture sector.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update June 17, 2025)