The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) attaches great importance to traditional friendship and cooperation with Vietnam, Kim Yong-nam, President of the DPRK Supreme People’s Assembly, has said.

Consolidating and strengthening relations with Vietnam is the DPRK’s consistent policy, Kim told visiting Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Ho Xuan Son at a reception in Pyongyang on July 18.

He proposed that both countries increase the exchange of high-level contact and cooperative exchanges between sectors in order to promote mutual understanding and confidence.

Earlier, Deputy Foreign Minister Son called on Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun and held talks with his DPRK counterpart Pak Gil-yon.

He also met with Ri Myung-san, Deputy Trade Minister-cum-Chairman of the DPRK Sub-committee of the DPRK-Vietnam Inter-governmental Committee for Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation, and Kim Jin-bom, Deputy Head of the DPRK External Liaison Cultural Committee and Chairman of the DPRK-Vietnam Friendship Association.

During talks and meetings, both sides discussed measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation in politics, economics, culture and education.

They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of common concern, including the situation on the Korean peninsula and in the East Sea.-VNA