Seoul (VNA) – President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Lee Jae Myung highlighted his country's readiness to accompany Vietnam on the latter's next stages of development during talks with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam in Seoul on August 11.
Welcoming the General Secretary – the first foreign guest since the RoK established its new administration, President Lee affirmed that his country always views Vietnam a key partner in the implementation of its foreign policy in the region.
He emphasised that the first visit to the RoK by General Secretary Lam in his capacity as the top leader of Vietnam holds special significance as it creates strong momentum for enhancing mutual understanding, strengthening political trust, and further promoting the RoK – Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the next phase.
Believing that the Vietnamese people will continue to achieve new milestones in national development and Vietnam will soon become a developed country and a centre in the region under the leadership of General Secretary Lam, the Korean leader emphasised that Vietnam is an extremely important nation in the region, and his country stands ready to accompany Vietnam on its next stages of development.
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For his part, General Secretary Lam appreciated President Lee’s invitation to him, his spouse, and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to visit the RoK soon after the latter's election victory, which reflects the RoK's high regard and priority given to Vietnam and to their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He expressed his confidence that President Lee will lead the RoK to achieve new “Miracles on the Han River” in the coming time.
He affirmed that Vietnam consistently attaches importance to its relationship with the RoK in its foreign policy, voicing his hope to work closely with President Lee and other Korean leaders to guide bilateral cooperation toward new, substantive, effective, and sustainable progress across all fields, commensurate with the highest level of the two nations’ diplomatic relations.
At the talks, the two leaders discussed the situation in each country and bilateral relations. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the remarkable development of the ties over more than 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, especially since the upgrade to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The host agreed with his guest's view that Vietnam and the RoK are currently enjoying highly favourable strategic conditions to further strengthen political trust and enhance practical cooperation across various fields. He noted that the two countries can complement each other's strengths and grow together in this new era of national development.
The two leaders also pledged to continue consolidating political trust and promoting strategic coordination in the key areas of diplomacy, defence, and security while expanding collaboration across all channels – between the countries' Parties, States, Governments, parliaments, and peoples – so as to lay a solid foundation for advancing and broadening bilateral cooperation in all fields.
In addition, the leaders agreed to instruct relevant agencies and localities to effectively implement the bilateral cooperation agreements, particularly the action plan for implementing the Vietnam – RoK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
They also shared a common viewpoint of shaping and implementing a new strategic vision for economic connectivity, which shifts from market-based collaboration to joint development of production chains and high-quality human resources; transitions from broad-based development to in-depth development, with a focus on quality, efficiency, and sustainability; enhances innovation capacity; and ensures long-term sustainable development benefits. This new approach aims to elevate the bilateral economic connectivity to a higher level, matching with the countries' needs and interests in the current context.
The two sides agreed to continue facilitating trade and opening markets for each other's goods; and support capacity building for Vietnamese enterprises to participate more deeply in the global supply chain of Korean enterprises, thereby soon raising two-way trade turnover to 150 billion USD by 2030.
The two leaders agreed that science and technology cooperation should become a new pillar and bright spot in bilateral relations, positioning Vietnam as a value-creating partner of the RoK in innovation and technological development.
General Secretary Lam affirmed Vietnam’s readiness to create favourable conditions for major Korean groups to expand their investment in the Southeast Asian country, particularly in areas where the RoK has strengths and align with Vietnam’s development priorities such as infrastructure development, high-tech electronics equipment manufacturing, semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), renewable energy, and smart urban development.
President Lee expressed his hope that Vietnam would continue to support Korean enterprises in expanding their business operations and enhance efficiency of investment. He also urged Vietnam to create favourable conditions for Korean firms to take part in its key projects.
The Korean leader affirmed that the RoK continues to consider Vietnam an important strategic partner in development cooperation. He pledged to expand official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam in priority sectors such as infrastructure, research and development, and climate change adaptation, while also increasing labour quotas and widening the range of occupations for Vietnamese workers in the RoK.
The two sides agreed to step up cultural, educational, and people-to-people exchanges, considering these as not only the bonds but also a strategic foundation for sustained partnership. General Secretary Lam suggested the RoK share its experience in developing cultural and entertainment industries, and coordinate with Vietnam to soon establish a Vietnam Culture Centre in the RoK.
The Party chief also encouraged stronger cooperation between Vietnamese educational institutions and leading Korean universities and businesses to develop high-quality human resources in line with development orientations of both nations.
Noting that 5 million citizens of Vietnam and the RoK visited each other's country in 2024, both leaders expressed their desire to further boost tourism cooperation. President Lee also agreed to promote stronger friendship and practical collaboration between localities, while working closely to protect the legitimate rights and interests of citizens of one nation in the other country.
Within the framework of the talks, the two leaders also discussed international and regional issues of mutual concern. They stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea, ensuring lawful and legitimate rights in accordance with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They agreed that progress in inter-Korean relations and the establishment of lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula are essential to peace and prosperity not only of the Korean Peninsula but also of the international community.
Following the talks, the two leaders witnessed the exchange of 10 cooperation documents between ministries, agencies, and organisations in various areas, including defence, security, economy, trade, labour, and culture. They later met with the press to brief on the key outcomes of their talks./.
