AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA
AND
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA
CONCERNING A WORKING HOLIDAY PROGRAMME

The Government of the Republic of Latvia and the Government of the Republic of Korea (hereinafter individually referred to as a "Party" and collectively referred to as the "Parties"),

DESIRING to promote a closer cooperative relationship between the two States,

WISHING to provide opportunities for their young nationals to appreciate each other's culture and way of life by taking a holiday during which they have the possibility of holding casual paid employment in order to supplement the financial resources available to them, and

CONVINCED of the value of facilitating these youth exchanges,

Have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE 1

1. The Working Holiday Programme (hereinafter referred to as the "Programme") under this Agreement applies to young nationals of the States of the Parties desiring to stay in the other State for the purpose of spending holidays while nonetheless having the possibility of holding casual paid employment in order to supplement the financial resources available to them.

2. The relevant competent authorities of the Parties, in accordance with this Agreement, shall issue multiple-entry long-stay working holiday visas (hereinafter referred to as "working holiday visas"), valid for a period that does not exceed twelve (12) months from the date of first entry, under the Programme to nationals of the other State who meet the following conditions:

(a) are nationals of the Republic of Korea who live in the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as "Korea") or are nationals of the Republic of Latvia who live in the Republic of Latvia (hereinafter referred to as "Latvia") at the time the application for a working holiday visa is submitted;

(b) are between the ages of eighteen (18) and thirty-four (34) years, both inclusive, on the date the application for a working holiday visa is submitted;

(c) are not accompanied by dependents;

(d) have not previously benefited from the Programme;

(e) hold a Korean or Latvian passport which is valid for at least fifteen (15) months from the date on which the visa is issued;

(f) possess a valid return travel ticket or sufficient funds to purchase such a ticket;

(g) have reasonable funds for their maintenance during the initial period of stay in the other State, as determined by each Party;

(h) have taken out all-risk insurance for the period for which they are authorized to stay in the other State, covering them for accidents at work and for healthcare, including medical costs, hospitalization and repatriation;

(i) submit a medical certificate proving that they are not suffering from diseases that may endanger public health;

(j) produce, as required, official documentary evidence of good conduct, such as a criminal record check;

(k) upon request, establish that their primary objective is to travel to the other State for a holiday and that work is only a secondary objective and not the main reason for the visit; and

(l) pay the required fees.

3. Nationals of the State of either Party may apply for a working holiday visa at the diplomatic or consular post competent for consular matters of the State of the other Party.

ARTICLE 2

Each Party shall allow the participants in the Programme who meet the conditions set out in Article 1 of this Agreement and have a valid working holiday visa (hereinafter referred to as the "participants") to enter and stay in the territory of its State.

ARTICLE 3

1. The working holiday visa granted by Latvia shall allow a participant who holds a valid Korean passport to circulate within the territory of the Schengen Agreement Member States in accordance with the laws and regulations of the Schengen Area.

2. Upon their arrival in Korea, Latvian participants must register with the office of the Korea Immigration Service which has jurisdiction over their residence within ninety (90) days of their arrival. Alien registration granted by the Korea Immigration Service allows the participant, following the completion of the registration requirements at the Korea Immigration Service, to stay temporarily in Korea for a period not exceeding twelve (12) months from the date of first entry. The working holiday visa shall also allow for multiple entries into Korea during this period.

3. Latvian participants in Korea shall be exempt from the obligation to hold a work permit to engage in an activity as a salaried worker. They shall not be permitted to engage in permanent employment during their stay. They also shall not be permitted to engage in employment which needs specific permission from the Korea Immigration Service.

4. Korean participants in Latvia shall be allowed to stay temporarily in Latvia for a period not exceeding twelve (12) months from the date of first entry and are exempt from the obligation to hold a work permit to engage in an activity as a salaried worker. The working holiday visa shall also allow for multiple entries into Latvia during this period. They shall not be permitted to engage in permanent employment during their stay.

ARTICLE 4

Participants staying in the host State shall comply with the laws and regulations in force in the host State, particularly concerning the practice of regulated professions and in matters related to social security.

ARTICLE 5

1. When participants are employed, the laws and regulations of the host State concerning the terms and conditions of work, remuneration, and safety and hygiene in employment shall apply.

2. Participants shall not engage in employment that is contrary to the purposes of this Agreement.

3. The Parties shall encourage the relevant organizations in the respective host jurisdictions to lend their support to the implementation of this Agreement and particularly to give relevant information to the participants.

ARTICLE 6

1. Either Party may refuse to approve any particular application it receives for the Programme.

2. Either Party may, consistent with its national laws and regulations, refuse the entry into the territory of its State of any participant whom it may consider undesirable, or remove any participant from the territory of its State who has obtained entry under this Agreement.

ARTICLE 7

1. The minimum amount of funds required in accordance with Article 1 (2) (g) of this Agreement shall be determined by each Party and communicated via written exchanges between the Parties.

2. The number of participants under this Agreement shall be counted from the date this Agreement enters into force until the end of the current year, and then annually from the 1^st January until the 31^st December.

3. When this Agreement enters into force, up to one hundred (100) participants per annum from each State shall be allowed to benefit from it.

4. The quota referred to in Article 7 (3) of this Agreement may be revised annually by mutual agreement of the Parties and recorded through an exchange of diplomatic notes. Any such exchange revising the quota shall not be regarded as a formal amendment to this Agreement.

ARTICLE 8

Any dispute arising from the interpretation or implementation of this Agreement shall be settled by consultation or negotiation between the Parties through diplomatic channels.

ARTICLE 9

1. This Agreement is concluded for an indefinite period of time. This Agreement shall enter into force ninety (90) days after the date on which the last of the two Parties has notified the other, by diplomatic note, of the completion of its national requirements necessary for the entry into force of this Agreement.

2. The provisions of this Agreement may at any time be subject to consultations between the two Parties through diplomatic channels. Amendments to this Agreement may be negotiated between the two Parties at any time. These amendments shall be concluded in written form and approved by both Parties.

3. Amendments shall enter into force thirty (30) days after the receipt of the last diplomatic note in which one of the Parties informs the other of the fulfilment of its national requirements for the entry into force of such amendments.

4. Either Party may terminate this Agreement by giving three (3) months' prior written notice to the other Party through diplomatic channels.

5. Either Party may temporarily suspend the application of this Agreement, in whole or in part, for reasons of national security, public order or public health. Any such suspension and the date of its entry into force, as well as the lifting thereof, shall be notified immediately to the other Party through diplomatic channels.

6. The termination of this Agreement or the temporary suspension of the application of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not affect the right to enter or stay of persons already accepted into the Programme.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being duly authorized by their respective Governments, have signed this Agreement.

Done in duplicate at Riga, on the 31 day of July, 2024, in the Latvian, Korean and English languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the English text shall prevail.