Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan hosted areception for Ambassador of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Park Noh-wan in Hanoion February 19.

Atthe meeting, the top legislator highlighted the fruitful development of theVietnam-RoK strategic partnership across spheres.

Thetwo sides have maintained the exchange of visits, she said, citing the officialvisit to Vietnam by Speaker of the RoK National Assembly Chung Sye-kyun in 2017and the State visit by RoK President Moon Jae-in and his spouse in 2018.

Meanwhile,the Vietnamese NA Chairperson and Prime Minister also visited the Eastern Asiancountry in 2018 and 2019.

“Thisreflects high political trust between the two countries”, Ngan stressed.

TheRoK has become one of Vietnam’s leading economic partners, ranking first ininvestment, second in official development assistance (ODA) and third in trade,the leader said.

Sheadded that the two countries are striving to raise trade revenue to 100 billionUSD this year.

Highlightingpeople-to-people exchange between the two countries, the NA leader said about170,000 Koreans are living and working in Vietnam while the number ofVietnamese in the RoK is 200,000, with 65,000 Vietnamese-Korean families.

Forhis part, Park pledged to make all-out efforts to contribute to enhancing the bilateralties.

TheRoK highly values socio-economic achievements Vietnam has recorded over thepast time, as well as its increasing role and position in the internationalarena, he said.

Theambassador expressed his hope for strengthened bilateral legislative ties,especially the relationship between the friendship parliamentarians groups ofthe two countries.

LaudingVietnam’s efforts in fighting the acute respiratory disease caused by a novelcoronavirus (COVID-19), Park said the RoK Embassy in Vietnam is coordinatingwith Korean businesses and residents in the country to seek solutions to helpVietnam deal with difficulties caused by impacts of the epidemic.

Theambassador said he is interested in enhancing cooperation between localities ofthe two countries and informed NA Chairwoman Ngan that the RoK Embassy willorganise exchange programmes in Vinh and Can Tho cities this year.

Toboost cooperation with Vietnam’s central region, a joint consultation committeehas been put into operation, and the mechanism is projected to be rolled out inthe Mekong Delta, focusing on Can Tho city.

Suchmechanisms are also expected to help boost collaboration between businesses andpeople of the two countries, Park said.

Onthis occasion, NA Chairwoman Ngan urged Ambassador Park to accelerate thelaunch of a direct flight between Vietnam’s Can Tho city and the RoK.

Sheasked the ambassador to convey her invitation to Speaker Chung to pay anofficial visit to Vietnam this year and attend the 41st GeneralAssembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 41) in Quang Ninhprovince’s Ha Long city./.