No South Korean-invested firms in Vietnam have delayed their projects or cut jobs as a result of the global economic slowdown, South Korean Ambassador to Vietnam Im Hong-Jae said Friday.

South Korea had determined that Vietnam was a suitable investment partner, he said, noting that the bribery case involving in Japan’s Pacific Consultants International (PCI) had not affected official development assistance (ODA) his country offers Vietnam.

South Korea, with US$268 million of ODA pledged to Vietnam in 2009, is Vietnam’s second biggest bilateral donor after France since Japan suspended its ODA funding.

In 2009, South Korea will intensify disbursement in projects in the fields of infrastructure, education and health to further support Vietnam’s economic development, the ambassador said.

However, the Vietnamese government will decide the specific ways of using the capital, he said.

Vietnam-South Korea trade is expected to reach $10 billion for the first time in 2008, 20 times more than the level in 1992 when the two countries established their diplomatic relationship.

By 2008, South Korean firms had invested $15.8 billion in Vietnam and created 500,000 jobs in the country.

Reported by Bao Van