Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng (right) receives President of the Republic of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol in Hà Nội on Friday. — VNA/VNS Photo Trí Dũng

Party chief Trọng welcomed the visit of the RoK leader and the high-level delegation to Việt Nam following the upgrade of the bilateral relationship to a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" at the end of 2022, expressing pleasure at the positive development of the Việt Nam-RoK relationship over the past 30 years and believing that the visit will create a new milestone, promoting the two countries' relationship to a higher level, with more depth and quality in the time to come.

Trọng recalled the good memories of his previous visit to RoK and expressed gratitude for the valuable assistance and support that RoK has provided for Việt Nam in recent years.

He stressed that the time-tested strength of the bilateral relations and the promising prospects for further development would benefit the people of both countries.

He welcomed the positive results achieved by both sides at the talks between Vietnamese President Võ Văn Thưởng and President Yoon, asking that both sides continue to enhance mutual understanding and political trust through regular exchanges and high-level contacts.

Trọng also briefed his guest about the situation in Việt Nam, underlining that Việt Nam had made strong developments in recent years and had never before had the resources, potential, international position, and prestige as it does today.

"Despite facing many difficulties and challenges in the complex global situation, Việt Nam is determined to build an independent, self-reliant, peaceful, and friendly country with other nations. Việt Nam will continue to promote the đổi mới (renewal) process, and be a reliable friend and partner of all countries in the world, especially with countries in the region like the RoK," he said.

President Yoon expressed gratitude to General Secretary Trọng for the meeting, especially after the online talks between the two sides in June 2022.

He congratulated Việt Nam on the great achievements made under the leadership of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, headed by General Secretary Trọng, and thanked the host for his attention to developing the two countries' relationship over the years.

President Yoon affirmed that Việt Nam was an important partner of the RoK in Asia and the two countries had cherished relations with each other for the past three decades.

The RoK leader believed that this visit would be a new beginning for the next 30 years of the Việt Nam-RoK partnership and hoped that both sides would work together to enrich the ties.

He wanted both sides to pay attention to training the younger generation of the two countries, with RoK continuing to prioritise training for Vietnamese students and creating conditions for Vietnamese students to study at high-tech schools in RoK, which constitutes a solid bridge for the friendship between the two countries.

He suggests that Việt Nam and RoK enhance people-to-people exchanges, boost cooperation in education, training, science, and technology, making the Việt Nam-RoK relationship a model in international relations, with both countries striving for peace, cooperation, and prosperity.

During the meeting, the two countries' leaders also exchanged views on the international and regional situation of mutual concern.

Vietnamese, RoK Presidents hold talks

President Vo Van Thuong and his counterpart from the Republic of Korea (RoK) Yoon Suk Yeol held talks in Hanoi on June 23 right after an official welcome ceremony for the latter, who is paying a three-day State visit to Vietnam starting June 22.

At the meeting, Thuong affirmed that Vietnam consistently supports the RoK’s greater role in the region and the world. Meanwhile, Yoon emphasised that the East Asian nation always values the comprehensive strategic partnership it shares with Vietnam and considers the country a key partner and a priority in its implementation of policies in the region.

Based on the countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership, the leaders said they will work to build the bilateral political relations and defence-security cooperation at a higher level of trust and in a more substantive manner; and continue to maintain regular all-level visits and engagements through various flexible forms.

The Presidents highlighted the need for joint efforts to make economic cooperation more effective, striving to soon achieve the goal of raising the bilateral trade to 100 billion USD and then to 150 billion USD by 2030 in a balanced and sustainable manner.

The RoK agreed to further open its market for Vietnamese agro-fisheries products and seasonal fruits and support Vietnamese businesses in participating more deeply in the global supply chains of RoK enterprises. Vietnam welcomed Korean enterprises’ new investments and investment expansions particularly in such priority areas as infrastructure development, key national and BOT (build-operate-transfer) projects regarding thermal power plants, liquefied natural gas (LNG), high-tech electronics and semiconductors production, big data, biotechnology and smart city development. It wished the RoK to focus on transferring source technology to Vietnam.

Thuong and Yoon lauded the signing of a bilateral agreement involving the RoK’s Economic Development Promotion Facility (EDPF) worth 2 billion USD to implement large-scale investment projects in Vietnam's transportation and urban infrastructure sectors. The RoK said it continues to consider Vietnam a "strategic partner" for ODA; and further expands non-binding and preferential forms of ODA cooperation similar to EDPF as well as the scale of non-refundable assistance for the country, especially in research and development (R&D), innovation, healthcare, and environment.

Both leaders were pleased with the renewing of the Memorandum of Understanding on sending and receiving Vietnamese workers to work in the RoK under the country's Employment Permit System (EPS). They concurred to boost the reception of Vietnamese workers and expand labour cooperation between the countries, particularly skilled workers and those working in new industries of RoK’s demand.

The sides also committed to diversifying forms of scientific and technological cooperation. The RoK would support Vietnam in accessing core and modern technologies, and implementing strategic tasks related to climate change adaptation and greenhouse gas emission reduction in line with Vietnam's commitments at COP 26.

It is necessary to increase people-to-people and locality-to-locality exchanges as well as simplify procedures to facilitate travel, work, and residence for citizens of both countries, they noted. The RoK would support Vietnam in developing cultural industries and provide additional scholarships for Vietnamese students to study in the RoK.

Both said they will continue enhancing close cooperation and mutual support at international forums, and join hands respond to global challenges and non-traditional security issues. They emphasised the importance of ensuring peace, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea; maintaining a peaceful, stable environment and a legal order; and resolving disputes at sea through peaceful means to ensure the legitimate rights and interests of nations in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

They affirmed a close coordination within the ASEAN and Mekong frameworks, especially during Vietnam's term as xcoordinator of the RoK-ASEAN relationship for 2021-2024. Thuong took the occasion to stress Vietnam's consistent policy of supporting denuclearisation and promoting dialogue and cooperation on the Korean Peninsula, as well as its readiness to contribute to the process.

Following their talks, the Presidents witnessed the signing ceremony of 17 bilateral cooperation documents in the fields of economy, trade, finance, development cooperation, labour, environmental resources, coast guard and locality-to-locality cooperation.

National Assembly Chairman meets RoK President

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue met President of the Republic of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol in Hanoi on June 23, saying that the visit reflects the RoK Government and President’s appreciation for bilateral ties.

NA Chairman Hue suggested both countries further enhance trade facilitation and continue promoting bilateral trade toward balance and sustainability.

He urged Korean enterprises to boost connection and assist Vietnamese firms in joining more deeply in their supply chains. Both sides should collaborate to establish strategic supply chains that they have potential, strength and need.

The host also called on the RoK to expand the scale of providing official development assistance for Vietnam and encourage big corporations to open innovation and R&D centres in Vietnam.

The two countries should intensify cooperation across national defence-security, seasonal labour and working holiday programmes, he said, suggesting the two governments soon implement the Social Insurance Agreement signed during the host’s official visit to the RoK in December 2021.

He also sought the RoK’s assistance in human resources training, people-to-people exchanges, and joint projects that promote local twinning, including between elected bodies of both countries' localities.

Stressing that the young generation, including young parliamentarians, is the future of the Vietnam-RoK relations, the host suggested the RoK consider funding student exchange programmes between the two nations.

On the occasion, he invited a delegation of the RoK’s legislature to the ninth Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians to be held in Vietnam.

On global and regional issues of shared concern, he welcomed the RoK’s continued contributions and enhanced cooperation within the ASEAN-RoK, Mekong-RoK frameworks and close coordination with Vietnam in its role as the coordinator of ASEAN-RoK relations for the 2021-2024 period.

He asked the RoK to support and share a common vision in ensuring security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea, and affirmed that Vietnam always pays attention to and stays ready to actively contribute to the process of denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula.

Agreeing with Chairman Hue’s proposals, President Yoon asked both sides to continue working closely together at multilateral forums.

While highlighting the importance of the two legislative bodies in creating a favourable legal environment for marine-based economic activities, he said large, medium and small Korean enterprises are focusing on investing in hi-tech in Vietnam with the aim of creating new values. This collaboration serves as a natural mechanism for technology transfer and sharing of experience between the two countries.

He expressed his interest in nurturing sci-tech for the two countries’ young generations, including Vietnamese students in the RoK so that they could contribute to improving the development and production capabilities of Vietnam upon completing their studies.

In reply, the host said the Vietnamese NA has asked the Government to thoroughly review issues related to the global minimum corporate tax which is to be debated during the NA’s session later this year. He wished that the RoK would share its experience with Vietnam in this field.

He informed the guest that during the ongoing session, the Vietnamese legislature agreed to amend the regulations regarding visas, with breakthrough measures to create favourable conditions for foreigners to enter, exit and reside in Vietnam.

There will be discussions with the Government on the issue of work permits to facilitate the entry of Korean experts into Vietnam, he said.

Vietnamese PM meets with RoK President

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a meeting with President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Yoon Suk Yeol in Hanoi on June 23.

The PM told his guest Vietnam's consistent value and desire to further advance the new framework of the bilateral relations between the two countries with a broader and higher vision and goal.

In response, the RoK President congratulated Vietnam on its development achievements so far and highlighted that the RoK Government highly values the Vietnam-RoK relationship and considers Vietnam a key cooperative partner in the region.

Expressing their joy and satisfaction with substantive progress made in the bilateral relations, particularly its elevation to a comprehensive strategic partnership in December last year, the two sides exchanged views on specific measures to promote bilateral ties in politics, diplomacy, defence, security, economy, trade, investment, development cooperation, labour, science and technology, people-to-people exchange, among other areas.

Given slow global economic recovery, the two sides agreed to make joint efforts to enhance the effectiveness of the nations’ mutually beneficial cooperation and complement each other's strength, with a focus on making significant qualitative strides in economic ties.

PM Chinh proposed that both countries effectively implement the Vietnam-RoK Free Trade Agreement (VKFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), thereby achieving the goal of raising their bilateral trade turnover to 100 billion USD in the near future and 150 billion USD by 2030 in a balanced and sustainable manner.

He also suggested that the RoK open its market further for Vietnam's key products such as agro-fishery goods and seasonal fruits; help Vietnamese enterprises join more deeply in the global supply chains of Korean businesses; and encourage Korean companies to expand their investment scale in Vietnam, particularly in priority areas such as infrastructure development, high-tech electronic manufacturing, semiconductors, renewable energy, and smart cities.

Chinh welcomed Korean businesses to invest in key national projects and BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) projects involving the building of thermal power plants and liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities in Vietnam.

He proposed the RoK transfer technology for Vietnam, create more favourable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to invest in the RoK, and consider Vietnam a strategic destination for establishing Korean research and development (R&D) centres.

The PM underscored his commitment to addressing difficulties and obstacles facing Korean investors in Vietnam. He also suggested expanding exchanges between the Vietnamese and Korean youth and strengthening the bilateral people-to-people and locality-to-locality collaboration.

Agreeing with PM Chinh, President Yoon stated that the RoK Government will continue to encourage and facilitate local enterprises to invest in Vietnam. He proposed increasing join works in the defence industry.

He hoped the Vietnamese Government will continue supporting and resolving difficulties for Korean investors, particularly concerning the sectors of finance-banking, infrastructure, and smart city building. Yoon also looked for Vietnam’s further assistance for RoK citizens as well as for the expansion of Korean educational institutions in Vietnam.

The RoK will provide favourable conditions for Vietnamese students to study advanced technology and modern science and technology the country, he affirmed.

Given rapidly changing, complex, and unpredictable global and regional situations, both sides agree to make joint efforts to enhance the effectiveness of collaboration and mutually support each other regarding international and regional issues of mutual concern.

They said they will continue to cooperate closely within the ASEAN-RoK and Mekong-RoK cooperation frameworks, and coordinate for Vietnam to fulfill its role as the coordinating country for ASEAN-RoK relations for the 2021-2024 term.

They shared a common vision of ensuring security, safety, freedom of navigation, and aviation in the East Sea, maintaining a peaceful and stable environment and legal order, and resolving disputes at sea through peaceful means, ensuring the legitimate rights and interests of countries in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). VNA/VNS