Viet Nam is the second largest textile and garment exporter to the Republic of Korea (RoK), making up one-fourth of the RoK's apparel market, after China.

Garment production in a Vietnamese factory. (Photo: VNA)

The RoK imported 627.4 million USD in textiles and garments from Viet Nam in the first 4 months of this year, according to the Viet Nam Textile and Apparel Association (Vitas).

The turnover marks an increase of 8.25% over the same period last year.

The growth is part of a larger trend. After the ASEAN – Korea Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA), Viet Nam's textile and garment industry saw significant growth.

The growth should only continue with the recently-signed AKFTA. According to its open-access commitment, Vietnamese textile and garment products that satisfy certificate of origin norms will enjoy zero tariffs once the agreement takes effect from January 1, 2016. Currently, Vietnamese firms pay a tax of 8 to 13%.

The RoK is Viet Nam's fourth largest importer of textiles and garments, accounting for more than 10% of the market's export turnover, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

(Source: VNA)