1. The Republic of Korea and Hong Kong, in a bid to strengthen their bilateral working holiday program, have agreed to expand the annual quota of program participants from the current 200 to 500, effective from January 1, 2014.

* The ROK-Hong Kong Working Holiday Agreement was brought into force in February 2011.

2. The agreement on quota expansion came as the two sides shared the view that their working holiday program was successfully implemented, playing an important role in vitalizing youth exchanges between them. They expressed their hope that the increased quota will contribute to boosting youth exchanges and promoting the friendship between the ROK and Hong Kong.

3. The ROK Foreign Ministry will seek to conclude more agreements on the working holiday program and expand the quota of participants for countries with which the ROK already has such agreements in order to provide young people of the ROK with more opportunities overseas and become global talent.

                   Spokesperson and Deputy Spokesperson for Public Relations of MOFA

* unofficial translation