State President Truong Tan Sang has expressed belief that ties between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) would go forward via parliamentary channels.

Meeting Speaker Chung Ui-hwa of the RoK National Assembly in Hanoi on March 19, the President pointed to the community of 100,000 Koreans in Vietnam and over 100,000 Vietnamese in the RoK as a crucial factor deepening friendship between the two countries.

He said confidently that the RoK will retain its top investor status in Vietnam along with its position as the leading partner in trade, tourism, labour and the supply of official development assistance.

Chung, who is on Vietnam visit, told his host that the number of Korean firms operating in Vietnam amounts to nearly 4,000.

He said Korean businesses want more incentives in taxation and less red tape so as to expand operations in Vietnam.-VNA