Vietnam’s Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on Friday afternoon hosted a reception for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is paying a three-day state visit to Vietnam.

The Vietnamese Party leader spoke highly of the state visit by President Yoon following the upgrade of the Vietnam-South Korea bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership late last year.

The visit is expected to be a new milestone that boosts further development of the two countries’ relations in the years ahead, said Party chief Trong.

He stressed that the bilateral relationship had overcome challenging times and is anticipated to advance further.

Both sides should make more visits to each other’s country and beef up cooperation, Trong suggested.

In addition, he hailed the positive outcomes achieved during talks between Vietnamese State President Vo Van Thuong and President Yoon, suggesting that both sides continue to enhance mutual understanding and political trust by maintaining regular exchanges at all levels.

Despite facing multiple obstacles and challenges amid many global uncertainties, Vietnam is determined to develop itself as an independent, self-reliant, peaceful, and friendly nation.

The country will keep bolstering its reform and remain a reliable friend and partner of all countries around the globe, especially close countries like South Korea, the Party leader remarked.

Vietnam’s Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (R) holds talks with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (L) in Hanoi on June 23, 2023. Photo: Tuan Huy / Tuoi Tre

President Yoon stated that Vietnam has remained a key partner of South Korea in Asia over the past 30 years.

He expressed his expectations that both sides will continue to forge their bilateral relationship and make it a role model in international relations.

The two countries will keep focusing on training Vietnamese students, facilitating people-to-people exchanges, and boosting cooperation in science technology, education and training, the top South Korean official said.

Both leaders also exchanged their viewpoints regarding international and regional issues of mutual concern.

Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) meets with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (L) in Hanoi on June 23, 2023. Photo: Vietnam Government Portal

On the same day, President Yoon also held talks with Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

PM Chinh suggested both countries effectively implement the Vietnam-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (VKFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), in order to fulfill the target of raising their bilateral trade to US$100 billion in the near future and $150 billion by 2030 in a balanced and sustainable manner. 

South Korea should create favorable conditions for more Vietnamese staple products such as agro-aquatic items and seasonal fruits to enter the South Korean market, while supporting Vietnamese businesses to deeply engage in the global supply chain of South Korean firms, PM Chinh suggested.

The Vietnamese Cabinet leader encouraged South Korean businesses to expand their investment scale in Vietnam and continue to consider Vietnam as a strategic destination in which they will build further research and development centers and conduct technology transfer.

The prime minister affirmed that Vietnam will adopt measures to remove obstacles facing South Korean firms active in this Southeast Asian country.

Echoing PM Chinh’s views, President Yoon asserted that the South Korean government will continue to encourage local firms to invest in Vietnam.

Yoon suggested both sides beef up cooperation in the national defense industry, offer support to South Korean firms to invest in finance-banking, infrastructure and smart urban development in Vietnam.

At another meeting between President Yoon and NA chairman Hue, the latter proposed South Korea expand the scale of providing official development assistance (ODA) loans for Vietnam and promote cooperation in national defense and security.​

Vietnam’s National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (R) and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (L) gesture during their talks in Hanoi on June 23, 2023. Photo: QUOCHOI.VN

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