National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) welcomes Speaker of the Republic of Korea's NA Chung Sye-kyun (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan andSpeaker of the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s NA Chung Sye-kyun discussed multipleissues regarding bilateral relations during talks in Hanoi on April 25.
Atthe talks following a welcome ceremony for the RoK legislative leader, ChairwomanNgan highlighted the strong development of bilateral friendship and cooperationsince Vietnam and the RoK set up diplomatic ties in December 1992.
Insuch context, Vietnam looks forward to the RoK President’s official visit andattendance in the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Da Nang city this November,she said.
TheNA Chairwoman also asked the RoK to support Vietnam’s candidacy for the post ofUNESCO Director-General.
Shenoted with satisfaction that with nearly 6,000 valid projects worth 50.98billion USD, the RoK is taking the lead among 116 countries and territoriesinvesting in Vietnam.
Vietnamencourages big groups of the RoK to take part in its State-owned enterprisesequitisation and bank restructuring, Ngan said, noting the hope that Koreancompanies will pay attention to technology transfer to Vietnamese partners andraise the local content in products.
Shealso called on RoK businesses to provide technical assistance and conduct afeasibility study of a railway route from Bien Hoa to Vung Tau cities, andcarry out a pre-feasibility study of an expressway from Ho Chi Minh City to MocBai Internaitional Border Gate in Tay Ninh province.
ChairwomanNgan voiced her hope that Korean firms working in electronics, processing,manufacturing, energy and infrastructure development industries will build hightechnology complexes and invest in industrial park infrastructure andhigh-quality agriculture in Vietnam.
Shesuggested that the RoK assist its businesses in investing in agriculture,fisheries and food processing in Vietnam, thereby improving the competitivenessof Vietnamese goods and bringing them to distribution systems of Korean firmsaround the world.
Interms of ODA and financial cooperation, the top legislator thanked the RoK forconsidering Vietnam as a prioritised partner to provide ODA, adding that theVietnamese NA appreciates the value and effectiveness of these assistancepackages which have substantially contributed to local poverty elimination andrural development.
Shehoped that the RoK’s parliament will continue to supply non-refundable aid andODA loans to Vietnam in the fields of the RoK’s strength and Vietnam’s need,such as transport, health care, environment, high technology, personneltraining and startup.
Thetwo countries should soon finalise and sign a framework credit agreement for2016-2020, Chairwoman Ngan noted, asking the RoK to support and effectivelyoperate the Korea-Vietnam Incubator Park in Can Tho city to develop manpower intechnology and industries.
Thetwo sides should also enhance cooperation in shipbuilding and seaport designand construction while arranging capital for the establishment of an energysafety training centre in Vietnam, she said.
Onhis part, Chung Sye-kyun said that the bilateral friendship and cooperationhave been built on high political confidence and cultural similarities.
Thetwo countries have enjoyed strong economic and trade development and plan toexpand relation to diplomacy, security and education, he stated, adding thathis country is willing to transfer technology to Vietnam.
Heexpressed his hope that Vietnam considers the RoK a leading important partnerin economic, trade and investment relations to pursue the industrialisation andmodernisation goal.
Thespeaker suggested that Vietnam early sign a social insurance agreement with theRoK, and back the upgrade of several RoK credit organisations’ representativeoffices in Vietnam into branches.
NAChairwoman Ngan affirmed that Vietnam always considers the RoK its strategicpartner in socio-economic development.
Vietnamis restructuring the banking system and creates favourable conditions for banksfrom other countries, including the RoK, she added.
Agreeingwith the guest’s proposal on the social insurance agreement, she said she willrecommend the Government to assign the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids andSocial Affairs to discuss and sign with the RoK side.
Atthe talks, both host and guest agreed that the bilateral trade turnover hasseen impressive growth, with a 90-fold increase compared with the figure in1992, when the two countries established their diplomatic ties, while sharingthe view that specific solutions are needed to correct the trade imbalance.
Highlightingthe fact that each country has about 140,000 citizens living and working in theother country, the two sides stressed the need to boost cultural exchangeprogrammes and the teaching of Vietnamese and Korean languages in bothcountries.
TheVietnamese top legislator proposed increasing direct flights between the twocountries to serve tourism, as Vietnam welcomed around 1.54 million Koreantourists in 2016, and nearly 530,000 arrivals in the first quarter of thisyear, a year-on-year rise of 29 percent.
Thetwo parliament leaders agreed to strengthen coordination in the organisation ofactivities to celebrate the 25th anniversary of bilateral diplomaticties this year, including the Vietnam-RoK Tourism Year and the annualVietnamese cultural-tourism festival in the RoK.
Nganinformed her guest that the Vietnamese Government has decided to include theRoK in the list of 40 countries whose citizens can apply online for visas toVietnam, while keeping in place the unilateral exemption of visas for RoKcitizens for under-15 day stay.
Sheasked the RoK to facilitate visa granting and consider visa exemption forVietnamese tourists for short stay.
Thetwo sides agreed to continue effectively implementing the memorandum ofunderstanding on defence collaboration signed in October 2010.
TheVietnamese side proposed that the RoK increase information exchange andexperience sharing in fighting crimes with Vietnam, while strengtheningsecurity and support for the Vietnamese community and businesses in the RoK.
Onfuture legislative partnership, the two sides will stick to the cooperationdeal signed between the two parliaments in July 2013.
Inthe past years, the two sides have maintained the exchange of delegations, theynoted, adding that the Vietnam-RoK Friendship Parliamentarian Group hasoperated fruitfully.
Thetwo top legislators also concurred to strengthen the connection between the twocountries’ parliamentarians as well as their collaboration at regional andinternational parliamentarian forums including the Inter-Parliamentary Union,ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Union, and Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum.
Vietnamis willing to work with the RoK within the multilateral and regionalmechanisms, especially the UN, APEC, ASEAN and Mekong-RoK cooperation, said NAChairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.
Inorder to practically contribute to the fostering of partnership between the twocountries, she suggested that professional committees of the two NAs workclosely together in supervising the implementation of agreements signed betweenthe two countries.
TheVietnamese NA leader thanked the NA and Government of the RoK for creatingfavourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in the country, proposingthat the RoK’s parliament continue to design effective policies to protect andsupport the community, especially Vietnamese women married to RoK.
Onthe occasion, RoK NA Speaker Chung Sye-kyun invited his Vietnamese counterpart tovisit the RoK. The Vietnamese NA Chairwoman also invited the RoK NA Speaker toattend the IPU conference on climate change hosted by the Vietnamese NA in HoChi Minh City from May 11-13 this year.
NAChairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan will host a banquet for the RoK NA speaker andhis delegation in the afternoon of April 25.
Earlierin the day, Chung Sye-kyun and the RoK high-ranking legislator delegation paidtribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum in Hanoi.-VNA
VNA
