Korea-Canada Expand Working Holiday Program Threefold... Sign MOU on Critical Minerals (Update)

Summit Meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau
From Defense and Security to Culture and People-to-People Exchanges

South Korea and Canada will triple the annual quota for working holiday visas to revitalize youth exchanges. To mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations, the annual quota will be expanded from the existing 4,000 to 12,000 as a measure to broaden cultural and human exchanges. The two countries also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cooperation in critical mineral supply chains, agreeing to deepen related collaboration.

On the afternoon of the 17th, President Yoon Suk-yeol held a summit meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Yongsan Presidential Office and announced the "Joint Statement of the 60th Anniversary of Korea-Canada Diplomatic Relations," which included these details, during a joint press conference.

President Yoon Suk-yeol and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who visited Korea, shake hands after concluding a joint press conference at the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul on the 17th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

On that day, President Yoon and Prime Minister Trudeau agreed to deepen and develop the "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" based on 60 years of friendly cooperation and shared vision and values. They spoke in unison about signing an information security agreement to enhance security cooperation, promoting defense industry cooperation, and coordinating responses to non-traditional security threats.

To expand cultural and human exchanges, the two countries signed a "Youth Exchange MOU" that fully revises the existing working holiday agreement. The annual working holiday quota was tripled from 4,000 to 12,000, and the age limit was adjusted from 18?30 years to 18?35 years.

President Yoon also mentioned the achievements of the summit one by one. He introduced, "Our two leaders agreed to further strengthen joint efforts to establish a rules-based international order and to protect liberal democracy," adding, "Based on the Indo-Pacific strategy announced last year, we agreed to enhance cooperation to promote freedom, peace, and prosperity in the region."

The North Korea message was also addressed. President Yoon stated, "We strongly condemned North Korea's continuous development of nuclear missiles and the threats that endanger peace and stability in the region," and introduced, "We will widely publicize the human rights situation in North Korea and further expand cooperation between our governments and civil society to improve the human rights conditions in North Korea."

He also welcomed Canada’s pursuit of joining the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). He explained that they agreed to actively support discussions with member countries so that Canada can participate in the IPEF as soon as possible.

The legal and institutional foundation to promote defense and security cooperation between the two countries will be further strengthened. President Yoon said, "I welcome the revision of the defense industry logistics cooperation MOU between the two countries last December and the commencement of negotiations this April on an information security agreement that expands the scope of secret information sharing to the defense sector," adding, "We will continue to support the expansion of defense cooperation between the two countries." The Presidential Office also evaluated, "Prime Minister Trudeau’s visit to Korea this year marked a milestone signaling the start of a new 60 years in Korea-Canada relations on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.