South Korea will increase its aid in the development of vocational education sector in Afghanistan, said South Korean Ambassador Seong-doo Ahn.
"I'd like to reiterate our continued commitment to support Afghanistan's socioeconomic development, especially this noble project of vocational training," he said.
He was speaking at the graduation ceremony of the Afghan-Korea Vocational Institute Sunday, where the Korean embassy donated equipment worth $100,000.
The Afghan Minister of Labor and Social Affairs said at the ceremony that South Korean officials have committed to increase their aid to vocational training in Afghanistan.
"Following talks with (South) Korean officials, there is assurance for the establishment of five large vocational centers in five zones of the country. We are hopeful that the Korean officials will turn the promise into a reality," said Amina Afzali, minister of labor, social affairs, martyrs, and disabled.
About 350 students from departments of electronics, construction, auto mechanics, plumbing, tailoring and carpentry graduated from the Afghan-Korea Vocational Institute.
"If the process of employing [Afghan] laborers in foreign countries is provided, we will make efforts to send these vocational students to other countries," said Mir Jalaluddin Hesham, head of Afghan-Korea Vocational Institute.
Meanwhile, the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries has said that lack of skilled laborers in the country has led to the employment of more than 120,000 foreign laborers, most of them entering the country illegally.
"Lack of essential training for our youth and laborers has led to a large number of foreign laborers coming to the country, who mostly enter the labor market illegally," said Mohammad Qurban Haqjoo, CEO of the Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industries.
"We need to professionalise our laborers," he added.
It is said that the Afghan youth make up more than 60 percent of the country's human resource; their unemployment and the government not paying enough attention to job creation are further complicating the labor market in Afghanistan.