RoK Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon (R) receives Vietnamese Minister of National Defence Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich (Photo: VNA)
Seoul (VNA) – The fresh signing of a joint vision statement ondefence cooperation through 2030 between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea(RoK) will contribute to promoting defence relations in a deeper and morepractical manner, said Minister of National Defence Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich.
Lich made the remark at a meeting with RoK Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeonin Seoul on April 24, during which he hoped the PM will continue supporting thetwo countries’ defence ministries to step up effective collaboration in thecoming time.
PM Lee said the RoK considers Vietnam a focus in its “New Look SouthPolicy”, adding that Vietnam is one of the fastest growing economies inSoutheast Asia with abundant natural resources and a large population.
Vietnam is evaluated to see the most stable development in the regionand the RoK is honoured to join this progress, he said.
The PM affirmed that the RoK wants to expand cooperation with Vietnam indifferent fields including external affairs and economy.
He applauded the two countries’ defence ministries to sign a jointvision statement on cooperation through 2030 and hoped the two sides willdevelop collaboration in defence industry.
Lich said bilateral relations have grown rapidly since Vietnam and theRoK established diplomatic ties 25 years ago and strategic cooperativepartnership in 2009.
The RoK is one of the leading foreign investorsin Vietnam and providers of official development assistance (ODA) for thecountry, he said.
The minister welcomed the RoK’s “New Look South Policy” and affirmedthat Vietnam is willing to play an active role to promote relations between theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the RoK.
Vietnam advocates the denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula and hailsthe RoK’s efforts to promote inter-Korean dialogue, Lich said.
Vietnam also supports active and constructive measures to promote thedialogue to maintain peace, security and stability on the peninsula, he added.
During the earlier talks between Minister of National Defence Ngo XuanLich and his RoK counterpart Song Young-moo, the two sides expressed theirpleasure at the growing relations between Vietnam and the RoK, and hopeddefence cooperation will play a crucial role in the bilateral rapports.
Minister of National Defence Ngo Xuan Lich (R) and his RoK counterpart Song Young-moo sign a joint vision statement on defence cooperation between Vietnam and the RoK (Photo: VNA) Lich said the peaceful settlement of the Democratic People’s Republic ofKorea (DPRK)’s nuclear issue and the establishment of eternal peace on theKorean peninsula is not only essential to peace and prosperity of the peninsulabut of the international community.
Regarding disputes of territorial sovereignty at sea, including the EastSea, the two sides stressed the need for the involved parties to restrain andfully respect diplomatic and legal processes, peacefully settling disputesbased on international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention onthe Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), while implementing effectively and comprehensivelythe Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the East Sea (DOC), soonsigning a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) to maintain peace andstability, and seeking long-term fundamental measures acceptable by allparties.
The two defence ministers highly valued the positive development in defencecooperation between Vietnam and the RoK over the past time.
They agreed to increase the exchange of delegations at all levels,promote cooperation between military forces, and step up partnerships in defenceindustry, cyber security and peacekeeping activities of the United Nations inaddition to enhancing coordination at multilateral defence and military forums.
Lich expressed his wish that the RoK is expected to share itsdevelopment experience with ASEAN member countries, including Vietnam, tojointly build a peaceful, prosperous and people-centered community.
Vietnam will take over the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020, he said, addingthat as a member of the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM+), Vietnamhopes the RoK will help the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence to successfullyhost relevant events.
Minister Ngo Xuan Lich invited Minister Song Young-moo to visit Vietnamin early June 2018. The RoK Minister accepted the invitation with pleasure andrevealed that he will visit Vietnam on the occasion of attending the Shangri-LaDialogue in Singapore.-VNA
