Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Lee Nak-yon and Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh expressed their pleasure at the growing strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries during their meeting in Seoul on November 21.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Lee Nak-yon (R) and Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh

The two sides exchanged specific measures to enhance political trust and cooperative relations in the coming time via maintaining high-level delegation exchanges and implementing effectively existing cooperation mechanisms and dialogues such as the Vietnam-RoK strategic dialogue on diplomacy, security and defense, and the bilateral free trade agreement to increase two-way trade to 100 billion USD by 2020.

They agreed to beef up cooperation in other fields such as culture, education, tourism, labour, and people-to-people exchanges while actively supporting and ensuring safety and legitimate rights for citizens in the respective countries, and enhancing coordination at multilateral forums.

Deputy PM Truong Hoa Binh thanked the RoK’s Government for providing one million USD to support flood victims in the central part of Vietnam.

He welcomed Korean businesses to increase investments in Vietnam in high technology, environmental protection, processing and manufacturing industry, support industry, renewable energy, infrastructure development, and hi-tech agriculture. 

Binh invited Korean firms to involve in the process of equitising State-owned enterprises, restructuring commercial banks, and developing special administrative-economic zones in Vietnam.

He proposed the RoK facilitate the entry of Vietnamese strong products to the market, especially agro-forestry-fishery products, as well as support Vietnam to join the RoK’s global supply chains and provide non-refundable aid packages for technical assistance, human resources training, agricultural and rural development, and energy safety.

The official urged the two countries to soon sign a support agreement in civil affairs and trade and extending a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on supplying and receiving Vietnamese workers to the RoK under the Employment Permit System (EPS), which will be invalid in May 2018.

He asked the RoK to apply visa exemption and make it easier for Vietnamese tourists to enter the RoK in addition to increasing direct flights between the two countries. He suggested enhancing coordination in regional and international affairs of mutual concerns, especially keeping peace and stability in the Asian-Pacific region.

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon spoke highly of the two countries’ relations after 25 years of establishing diplomatic ties. He stressed that the RoK’s Government attaches great importance to developing strategic cooperative partnership with Vietnam and will direct all relevant ministries and departments to implement effectively the bilateral cooperation agreements.

The same day, Deputy PM Truong Hoa Binh received President of the RoK-Vietnam Friendship Association Choi Young-joo, during which he proposed the association continue coordinating with the Vietnam-RoK Friendship Association and the Vietnamese Embassy in the RoK to promote the two countries’ cooperation, especially in economics and people-to-people exchanges.

He later met with representatives from the RoK’s leading businesses, including the SK Group, the KB Financial Group, and the Maeil Business Newspaper.

Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam lauds RoK-VN Forum for the Future

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam (R) meets President of the Korea International Exchange Fund Lee Si Hyung 

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has praised the Korea International Exchange Fund (KF) and the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) for co-organising the Republic of Korea – Vietnam Forum for the Future to deepen the relations and mutual understanding between the two countries’ Governments and peoples. 

He made the remark at a reception for President of the KF Lee Si Hyung in Hanoi on November 21 following the event.

Deputy PM Dam recognised the KF’s significant contributions to enhancing social and cultural exchanges with Vietnam via teaching Korean language, supporting Vietnamese brides in the RoK, and hosting this forum.

He highlighted the strong development in the Vietnam-RoK cooperative relations in all fields and described the RoK as one of the biggest trade and investment partners of Vietnam. The bilateral cooperation in science-technology, culture, education, and tourism has seen new strides, he added. 

President of the KF Lee Si Hyung said the forum, the third of its kind, aims to look back at the 25-year Vietnam-RoK diplomatic ties, enhance the bilateral political and economical partnership, and promote social, cultural, educational and people-to-people exchanges.

He affirmed to continue coordinating with the VASS to reinforce their cooperation network and host more activities to tighten friendship, solidarity and mutual trusts between the governments and peoples.

RoK-Vietnam Forum for the Future opens in Hanoi

The Republic of Korea – Vietnam Forum for the Future, the third of its kind, took place in Hanoi on November 21 in celebration of the 25th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties. 

Initiated by the Korea International Exchange Fund (KF) and the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) in 2012, the forum gathered policymakers, managers, experts, scholars and representatives from social organisations and press agencies to seek policy solutions to promoting the two countries’ relations for their peace, stability and prosperity. 

As founder of the forum, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, urged the two countries to work closely together to overcome difficulties related to climate change response, sustainable and inclusive development, and poverty reduction. 

VASS Chairman Nguyen Quang Thuan said the two countries are facing new challenges amid developments in the region and the world, adding that the event will specify contents of the bilateral strategic partnership in the new context. 

Participants discussed ways to strengthen bilateral political and economic ties, promote socio-cultural and education exchanges in the near future. 

Recommendations at the forum will be collected and submitted to the two governments, contributing to developing bilateral ties.

HCM City vows to facilitate RoK’s business and education

Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong (R) presents a gift to leader of the Liberty Korea Party Hong Joon-pyo (Source: hcmcpv.org.vn)

Ho Chi Minh City will create favourable conditions for enterprises and people from the Republic of Korea (RoK) to live and do business in the city, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong said on November 21.

Welcoming the leader of the Liberty Korea Party Hong Joon-pyo to visit the city and attend the HCM City-Gyeongju World Cultural Festival, Phong hailed the significance of the festival, with the countries celebrating the 25th anniversary of their diplomatic ties this year.

The festival is an example of the effective cooperation between the two countries, especially in culture, trade and investment, he said.

He expressed his belief that Hong Joon-pyo, in his position, will pay attention to boosting the relations between the Liberty Korea Party and the Communist Party of Vietnam to contribute to the Vietnam-RoK ties.

Endowed with a young and industrious labour force, Hong said that Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City, holds development potential and is an attractive destination for foreign investors, including those from the RoK.

He asked Ho Chi Minh city to continue facilitating the activities of RoK enterprises and education for the Korean community in the city.

Also on the day, a concert was held within the framework of the HCM City-Gyeongju World Cultural Festival, which is taking place in the city from November 11 to December 3.

Renowned Vietnamese pianist Dang Thai Son, Korean Soprano artist Lee Hwa-yong and Gyeongsang buk province’s orchestra all performed at the concert.-

VNA