Lotte opens service training centre in Ho Chi Minh City

Representatives of Lotte Group, KOICA, and IUH at the opening ceremony

The project is a joint effort of Lotte Group, Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and Industry University of Ho Chi Minh City (IUH). The opening of Lotte-Koica-IUH service training centre (LKIC) is expected to contribute to the development of the Vietnamese retail sector.

According to Oh Sung Yup, vice president of Lotte Group, the Vietnamese economy is mainly agricultural. The development of the retail channel will create more added value for agro-products. In fact, Vietnam has enticed many global retailers in recent years. The country has witnessed strong growth of the retail and distribution industry.

Oh Sung Yup, vice president of Lotte Group

“Vietnam is one of the most important markets for Lotte Group. The market holds much potential thanks to a growing population and rich resources. With strong experience in the South Korean retail industry, Lotte would like to share know-how with our Vietnamese partners,” he said.

Under the plan, the new centre will give job seekers and small traders a chance to access educational programmes on retail, distribution, and customer services. Some of the needy students can get scholarships when participating in the programme and Lotte will support trainees to get internships at its local subsidiaries. After completing the programme, the group will also interview trainees to expand their career perspectives.

Speaking at the ceremony, Le Huu Phuc, general director of the International Cooperation Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), lauded Lotte’s efforts to help Vietnamese people develop skills in the distribution and service industry.

“Vietnam has been growing fast over the past few years with the increasing presence of new retail models, like e-commerce and television shopping. MoIT is drafting a new strategy to spur the growth of the distribution industry, especially deepening Vietnam’s integration into the global market. Workforce training is one crucial factor to implement this vision. We hope that the project will be a stepping stone to train more quality workforce in the field,” he said.

In addition to the training centre, Lotte Group also held several corporate social responsibility activities (CSR), like Lotte Kids Football Club, with an aim to find young, talented players.

“Lotte Group has 20 subsidiaries operating in Vietnam, including Lotte Department Store, Lotte Hotel, Lotte Mart, Lotte Confectionery, and the Lotteria fast-food restaurant chain. The group secured a firm foothold in Vietnam with the official opening of the first Lotte Duty Free in Vietnam two weeks ago. In the coming time, Lotte Group will expand its chemical business to take advantage of the untapped potential in the country,” Yup said.