TEHRAN – Two specialized vocational training workshops were opened and equipped in Iran’s western Kordestan province with $500,000 in funding from South Korea, state media reported on Tuesday.

The facilities were inaugurated in Sanandaj during a ceremony attended by South Korean Ambassador Kim Junpyo, the provincial governor-general and senior officials from Iran’s Technical and Vocational Training Organization.

According to IRNA, the donated equipment covers automotive industries, electricity and renewable energy, and is expected to strengthen skills-based training in the province.

Kordestan Governor-General Arash Zereh-Tan Lahouni said the project aligned with the government’s policy of promoting “provincial diplomacy” under President Masoud Pezeshkian, describing such cooperation as a means of strengthening international ties and balanced regional development.

Kim Junpyo said the initiative, while modest, was intended to help expand cooperation between South Korea and Kordestan province and contribute to skills development and sustainable growth.

Seyed Ali Alavi, head of the provincial Technical and Vocational Training Organization, said the equipment would be deployed mainly in mechanical and automotive electrical training as well as renewable energy programs at the province’s largest vocational center.

S. Korean ambassador stresses necessity of expanding co-op in human resource development, skills training, new technologies

Addressing a meeting of the Skill Development Task Force of Kordestan Technical and Vocational Training Organization, the ambassador of the Republic of South Korea emphasized the importance of international cooperation in the field of technical and vocational education, stating: “These measures demonstrate the Korean government's commitment to skills development in Iran.”

During the meeting in Sanandaj on Tuesday, Ambassador Kim stated: “This support has led to the improvement of educational quality, youth empowerment, job creation, and sustainable development in various regions of the province. Furthermore, the development of teacher training projects, as a significant step in strengthening educational cooperation between Iran and Korea, has expanded from the national to the provincial level, laying the groundwork for the continuation of educational collaboration between the two countries.”

In this meeting, he commended the efforts of the colleagues in the Technical and Vocational Education Organization of Kordestan Province, who, despite challenging conditions, continue to educate and empower the youth. He also emphasized the importance of optimally utilizing the equipment and infrastructure provided for the benefit of trainees in the coming years.

He stressed the necessity of expanding future cooperation among the Iranian Technical and Vocational Education Organization, local partners, and the Republic of Korea in the areas of human resource development, skills training, and new technologies.

‘South Korea's assistance to vocational training in Kordestan: An investment in youth's future’

Addressing the same gathering, the head of the Kordestan Chamber of Commerce stated: “South Korea's $500,000 assistance to the province's technical and vocational training is a lasting and future-building measure for youth employment.”

Ali Akbar Abdolmaleki, referring to the importance of this visit, remarked: “The return of the esteemed South Korean Ambassador to Kordestan Province with a scientific and results-oriented approach indicates that this visit is not merely ceremonial but rather a continuation of genuine mutual cooperation.”

He added: “Approximately seven months ago, during the South Korean Ambassador's visit to the province's tourist attractions and technical and vocational training centers, sincere yet highly significant discussions were held regarding Kordestan's fundamental needs. The main focus of these discussions was the future of the youth, skills training, and creating infrastructures to link education with real employment.”

The head of the province’s Chamber of Commerce, noting that these discussions have now led to practical and lasting action, emphasized: “The agreement of the South Korean government and embassy to donate approximately $500,000 worth of educational equipment, machinery, and technical infrastructure to Kordestan Province and the Technical and Vocational Training Organization is a highly valuable and development-oriented measure.”

Abdolmaleki pointed out: “This support is not merely the transfer of equipment but rather the transfer of experience, mutual trust, and a development-oriented perspective—a perspective that regards skills training as the foundation of economic growth.”

He emphasized: “From the private sector's viewpoint, no development will be sustainable without skilled and capable human resources. The connection between technical education, the private sector, and the labor market is a path that successful countries like South Korea have traversed, and today, Kordestan Province is also taking a significant step along this same path through this cooperation.”

Referring to the province's human capacity, he stated that Kordestan is full of talented, entrepreneurial, and hardworking youth, and equipping educational centers with up-to-date facilities can pave the way for sustainable employment, reduced migration, and genuine economic growth in the region.

In conclusion, he expressed hope: “This valuable initiative should mark the beginning of broader cooperation in the fields of education, industry, investment, and exchange of experiences between Kordestan Province and the friendly country of South Korea.”

EF/MA