RoK parliamentarians welcomed in Hanoi

Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan hosted a reception in Hanoi on January 18 for a delegation from the Republic of Korea (RoK)-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group led by its Chairman Kim Hak-yong.

The top legislator spoke highly of exchanges between the friendship parliamentarians’ groups of the two countries, saying a friendly football match in Hanoi later the same day will contribute to enhancing the understanding, solidarity and friendship between the Vietnamese and RoK lawmakers.

Events organised between the groups on this occasion are concrete and practical activities to realise cooperation contents reached by the two countries’ parliamentary leaders during the high-ranking Vietnamese NA delegation’s visit to the RoK last December, she said.

For his part, Kim said the friendly football match is a significant activity, showing Vietnam and the RoK have become close friends when their parliamentarians join together in the football ground.  He expressed his wish that a similar event will be held in his country in the time to come.

Informing his host about the outcomes of the exchange between the two groups earlier on January 18, he said the two sides discussed orientations to strengthen future collaboration. He affirmed that the RoK-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group will try its best to realise these orientations.

The guest also congratulated Vietnam on its 2018 GDP growth rate of over 7 percent amid numerous difficulties in the world economy. He said he believes that the RoK and Vietnam will become cooperation partners for mutual development.

Agreeing with Kim, NA Chairwoman Ngan said the Vietnam-RoK relations have developed comprehensively and pragmatically on the basis of political trust between the two countries’ high-ranking leaders, similarities in history and culture, mutual economic assistance, and people-to-people exchange.

After their relationship was upgraded to a strategic cooperative partnership in 2009, the two countries have become each other’s important partners, with strongly developing cooperation in economy-trade-investment and labour, and development cooperation.

Collaboration in culture and education, and people-to-people exchange have expanded in both quantity and quality, serving as an important foundation for the two countries’ people to enhance their mutual understanding, she said, adding that there are around 65,000 multicultural Korean-Vietnam families.

Flights between the two nations’ cities have increased, providing more opportunities for bilateral connection and people-to-people exchange, she noted.

Applauding the outcomes of the working session between the two friendship parliamentarians’ groups, Ngan urged them to continue promoting their role as a bridge between the legislatures and people of the two countries.

The groups should have new initiatives to increase exchanges and meetings, boost cooperation in lawmaking, and supervise the implementation of cooperation agreements signed between the two governments, she said.

According to Kim, about 150,000 Koreans are living and working in Vietnam while 170,000 Vietnamese in the RoK. He expressed his wish that the Vietnamese leaders and NA will pay more attention to the Korean community in Vietnam and affirmed that the RoK National Assembly will do its utmost to support Vietnamese nationals in the country.-VNA