Seoul (VNA) – Vice Chairman of theNational Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai paid a courtesy visit to Speaker of theNational Assembly Kim Jin-pyo and met Prime Minister Han Duck-soo of the Republic of Korea (RoK) on March21-22 as part of his trip to the country.

At the meeting on March 21, the RoK NA speaker noted that the relations between Vietnam and the RoK have beendeveloping strongly, highlighting the elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in December 2022.

He stressed that during his meetings with key leaders of the Vietnamese Party, Government and National Assembly during his visit to Vietnam last January, he noticed that both sides have been aware of the great potential of bilateral cooperation.

Kim extended an invitation to NAChairman Vuong Dinh Hue and legislators of Vietnam to attend a forum for ASEANand Korean leaders, slated for June in the RoK’s Jeju Island.

For his part, Hai affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance tothe relations with the RoK and suggested the two sides maintain all-level delegationexchanges and meetings, saying coordination and sharing of views on thebilateral cooperation as well as the regional and international situation wouldhelp deepen relations between their high-ranking leaders, raise mutual trustand understanding, and accelerate the implementation of reached bilateralcooperation mechanisms and agreements.

To promote the legislative ties, Hai said the twosides should supplement cooperation contents based on the agreement inked in2013, making them match the comprehensive strategic partnership.

At the same time, they should enhance coordinationand support at regional and international inter-parliamentary forums, forpeace, security and stability in the region and the world at large.

Hai also stressed the need for the two legislaturesto step up exchanges between their committees in the fields of law-making andsupervision, and coordinate in facilitating people-to-people exchange, protectingcitizens and removing difficulties for businesses.

He proposed the two sides encourage exchanges betweenfemale and young legislators, and support the establishment of twinningrelations between Vietnamese and Korean localities.

At the reception for the Vietnamese delegation onMarch 22, PM Han Duck-soo emphasised that the two countries’ leaders have expressedtheir resolve to foster the bilateral relations.

The RoK government has given high priority toVietnam in its official development assistance (ODA) programme and wishes thatthe two sides will continue expanding the collaboration to create optimalconditions for people and businesses to develop stably, he said.

The PM noted that the government has made efforts tosupport the Vietnamese community, especially multicultural families, citing as an example theestablishment of 228 multicultural centres across the country and hotlines thatoffer round-the-clock services.

The Vietnamese NA Vice Chairman, in reply, stressed that economic cooperationremains an important pillar of the bilateral ties, and that Vietnam welcomesKorean firms to expand investments in the country, particularly in high tech,science-technology, innovation, green economy, digital economy, digitaltransformation, clean energy and smart urban development.

The legislator expressed his hope that the two sideswill partner to effectively implement the Vietnam-RoK Free Trade Agreement, andthe Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, striving to raise thebilateral trade to 100 billion USD this year and 150 billion USD by 2030 in abalanced and sustainable fashion.

He lauded the joint efforts made in maintainingdialogue mechanisms in national defence and security, and called on the RoK toforge labour cooperation, bringing practical interests to both.

Hai used the occasion to thank the Korean governmentfor its effective ODA to Vietnam, saying he hopes that the RoK will maintainthe cooperation mechanism, expand its scale and increase incentives towardsloans for Vietnam through the Economic Development Cooperation Fund.

Vietnam hopes that the Korean government willfurther support and protect the legitimate rights and interests of the morethan 200,000 Vietnamese in the country. For its part, Vietnam will create favourableconditions for Koreans in the Southeast Asian nation, Hai pledged.  

The NA Vice Chairman and his entourage are scheduledto hold working sessions with some Korean corporations that want to expand operationsin Vietnam like Samsung./.