Party chief suggests Vietnam, RoK further open markets for each other’s goods
Party General Secretary Lam called on the RoK to help enhance the capacity of Vietnamese firms to integrate more deeply into the global supply chains of Korean companies, and to encourage Korean businesses to expand investment in Vietnam, particularly in infrastructure development, high-tech electronics manufacturing, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and smart cities.
Vietnam’s Party General Secretary To Lam (left) and RoK Prime Minister Kim Min-seok at their meeting in Seoul on August 11. (Photo: VNA)
Seoul (VNA) 🔴– Party General Secretary To Lam on August 11 suggested the Republic of Korea (RoK) to step up support for Vietnamese companies in accessing the East Asian country’s e-commerce platforms, facilitate trade, and open markets for each other’s goods.
The Party chief made the suggestion at a meeting with Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok in Seoul as part of his state visit to the RoK.
PM Kim said General Secretary Lam’s visit marks a new milestone in bilateral ties, giving fresh impetus to advancing the RoK–Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership.
General Secretary Lam briefed on the positive outcomes of his talks with President Lee Jae Myung, noting that the two sides reached consensus on major directions and measures to comprehensively advance and deepen bilateral relations. He affirmed that Vietnam values its cooperation with the RoK and seeks to further strengthen their comprehensive strategic partnership.
Both leaders lauded the progress in bilateral ties, underscored by regular exchanges of delegations at all levels, particularly high-level ones. The two countries have become trusted partners with close strategic cooperation, with economic collaboration remaining a highlight in their relations.
The RoK remains Vietnam’s largest source of foreign direct investment at 87 billion USD, its second-largest provider of official development assistance with 4 billion USD pledged for 2025–2030, and its third-largest trading partner with bilateral trade reaching 81.5 billion USD.
They exchanged views on further promoting substantive, effective and comprehensive economic cooperation, and on working closely together to implement the items under the Action Plan to achieve the target of 150 billion USD in bilateral trade by 2030 in a more balanced manner.
General Secretary Lam called on the RoK to help enhance the capacity of Vietnamese firms to integrate more deeply into the global supply chains of Korean companies, and to encourage Korean businesses to expand investment in Vietnam, particularly in infrastructure development, high-tech electronics manufacturing, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and smart cities. He also urged the development of specialised industrial production complexes along value chains, linking investment with technology transfer and workforce training to support Vietnam in building an independent, self-reliant, and globally integrated economy.
Vietnam’s Party General Secretary To Lam (second, right) has a meeting with Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok in Seoul on August 11. (Photo: VNA)
PM Kim expressed his hope that Vietnam would pay due attention and create favourable conditions for Korean enterprises to participate in Vietnam’s key projects, such as cooperation in nuclear power development using the RoK’s advanced technology, as well as projects on energy infrastructure, digital infrastructure, climate-resilient infrastructure, and high-speed rail. He affirmed that the RoK will continue to further expand its non-refundable aid, particularly in research and development (R&D) and innovation.
Stressing that science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, and human resources training should become new pillars of bilateral relations, General Secretary Lam expected that the two sides would work together to develop strategic technology sectors, enhance cooperation in telecommunications, information technology, e-government, biotechnology, climate technology, nanotechnology, clean and renewable energy, as well as promote collaboration in digital transformation areas such as artificial intelligence and digital innovation policy-making.
The Party chief urged both sides to strengthen public trust, fostering close and enduring bonds between the two countries and their peoples. He welcomed the signing of the extension to the Memorandum of Understanding on the Employment Permit System (EPS) between Vietnam and the RoK, and suggested that the RoK continue to increase quotas and expand sectors for labour intake. He also called for stronger cooperation in education, requesting Korean support for training high-quality human resources in fields such as semiconductors, electric vehicles, biotechnology, shipbuilding, and artificial intelligence.
PM Kim affirmed that the RoK will continue to prioritise cooperation with Vietnam in developing high-quality human resources to serve the economic growth of both countries in the coming years.
On this occasion, General Secretary Lam thanked and asked the Korean Government to continue caring for and supporting the Vietnamese community in the country so they can feel secure in living, studying, and working there. He also called for consideration of visa simplification, towards visa exemption for Vietnamese citizens entering the RoK, thereby enhancing people-to-people exchanges and boosting bilateral tourism cooperation.
PM Kim noted that the Korean Government is actively considering simplifying visa procedures for Vietnamese citizens and will continue with support measures for foreign brides, including Vietnamese ones, to help them maintain stable lives in the RoK./.
The leaders noted that the two sides had agreed to turn scientific and technological cooperation into a pillar and a new highlight of bilateral relations.
The signed documents include a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on scientific and technological cooperation, an MoU on copyright and related rights cooperation, and another on strengthening collaboration in renewable energy.
Party General Secretary To Lam met with members of the Vietnam Innovation Network in Korea (VINK) and Vietnamese experts living and working in the Republic of Korea (RoK) in Seoul on August 10 as part of his state visit to the RoK.
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Vietnam and the RoK should maintain regular exchanges at all levels, especially high level, across the Party, State, Government, National Assembly, and people-to-people channels; expand cooperation in diplomacy, national defence-security, economy, and sci-tech; and effectively realise existing cooperation mechanisms and agreements, said Party leader To Lam.
Vietnamese brides in the Republic of Korea urged educational support, particularly access to Vietnamese language classes for their children, age-appropriate curricula, and resources for single mothers while meeting with Ngo Phuong Ly, spouse of Party General Secretary To Lam.
President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Lee Jae Myung emphasised that the first visit to the RoK by General Secretary Lam in his capacity as the top leader of Vietnam holds special significance as it creates strong momentum for enhancing mutual understanding, strengthening political trust, and further promoting the RoK – Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the next phase.
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Since the two countries established their diplomatic ties in 1992, the bilateral relationship has become a model of a very special, effective, and substantive partnership.
Addressing the meeting, Party General Secretary To Lam expressed his pleasure at meeting a large number of Vietnamese living and working in the RoK, acknowledging and appreciating their efforts in contributing to the growing Vietnam–RoK partnership.
He also welcomed the “Vietnam Private Sector Panorama” as a platform for dialogue, awareness-raising, and inspiring a wealth-creation movement, emphasising that it must deliver tangible results.
During a meeting on August 10 in Seoul with 100 representatives from the RoK’s intellectuals, associations, people’s organisations, businesses, and non-governmental organisations operating in Vietnam, Party General Secretary To Lam expressed his gratitude to Korean friendship, economic, cultural associations, universities, research institutes, individuals, and NGOs for their significant contributions to nurturing the Vietnam–RoK relationship.
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Vietnam’s Ambassador to Brazil and Bolivia Bui Van Nghi has led an embassy delegation to attend official events marking the 200th anniversary of Bolivia’s Independence Day.
In an interview with Korean media on the occasion of Party General Secretary To Lam’s state visit to the RoK, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son affirmed that the visit demonstrates Vietnam’s strong resolve to further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the RoK, with the aim of fostering greater political trust, closer strategic coordination, more substantive and comprehensive cooperation, and stronger bonds of friendship between the two countries' people.
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