Vietnam News Agency (VNA) will do its utmost to promote ties with Yonhap News Agency (YNA), especially in a time when Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) have developed their ties into a strategic partnership.

VNA General Director Nguyen Duc Loi made the pledge at talks with YNA President Park Jung-chan in Seoul on November 30.

Loi affirmed the need to exchange information between the two news agencies besides human resources development and reforms in management mechanisms in the current situation.

Park said relationship with VNA is one of his agency’s most important global link and agreed to boost bilateral cooperation to make it a symbol of Asian news agency collaboration.

The two leaders stressed the necessity to improve the quality and efficiency of information exchange, as well as the importance to meet the demand for up-to-date, precise and rich news in politics, economics, culture and science-technology, which will serve as a bridge for the two peoples to enhance mutual understanding.

Both sides agreed to instigate a language training course for Vietnamese and Korean correspondents.

Addressing a photograph exhibition celebrating the 20th anniversary of Vietnam – RoK diplomatic ties, Loi said the event demonstrates the cooperation between the two news agencies in the last two decades.

On display are 58 photographs taken by photojournalists from both nations that feature the Vietnam - RoK comprehensive strategic partnership.

The event will run for 10 days. A similar event will take place in Hanoi on December 14-24.

Earlier the same day, Loi paid a courtesy visit to RoK’s Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choe Kwang-shik. During the visit, Choe said he hopes VNA and YNA will expand cooperation for mutual development and become representative news agencies for the region.-VNA