Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Nganhosted a reception in Hanoi on January 18 for a delegation from the Republic ofKorea (RoK)-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group led by its Chairman KimHak-yong.

The top legislator spoke highly of exchanges between the friendshipparliamentarians’ groups of the two countries, saying a friendly football matchin Hanoi later the same day will contribute to enhancing the understanding, solidarityand friendship between the Vietnamese and RoK lawmakers.

Events organised between the groups on this occasion are concrete and practicalactivities to realise cooperation contents reached by the two countries’parliamentary leaders during the high-ranking Vietnamese NA delegation’s visitto the RoK last December, she said.

For his part, Kim said the friendly football match is a significant activity,showing Vietnam and the RoK have become close friends when theirparliamentarians join together in the football ground.  He expressed his wish that a similar eventwill be held in his country in the time to come.

Informing his host about the outcomes of the exchange between the two groupsearlier on January 18, he said the two sides discussed orientations tostrengthen future collaboration. He affirmed that the RoK-Vietnam FriendshipParliamentarians’ Group will try its best to realise these orientations.

The guest also congratulated Vietnam on its 2018 GDP growth rate of over 7percent amid numerous difficulties in the world economy. He said he believesthat the RoK and Vietnam will become cooperation partners for mutualdevelopment.

Agreeing with Kim, NA Chairwoman Ngan said the Vietnam-RoK relations havedeveloped comprehensively and pragmatically on the basis of political trustbetween the two countries’ high-ranking leaders, similarities in history andculture, mutual economic assistance, and people-to-people exchange.

After their relationship was upgraded to a strategic cooperative partnership in2009, the two countries have become each other’s important partners, withstrongly developing cooperation in economy-trade-investment and labour, anddevelopment cooperation.

Collaboration in culture and education, and people-to-people exchange have expandedin both quantity and quality, serving as an important foundation for the twocountries’ people to enhance their mutual understanding, she said, adding thatthere are around 65,000 multicultural Korean-Vietnam families.

Flights between the two nations’ cities have increased, providing moreopportunities for bilateral connection and people-to-people exchange, shenoted.

Applauding the outcomes of the working session between the two friendshipparliamentarians’ groups, Ngan urged them to continue promoting their role as abridge between the legislatures and people of the two countries.

The groups should have new initiatives to increase exchanges and meetings,boost cooperation in lawmaking, and supervise the implementation of cooperationagreements signed between the two governments, she said.

According to Kim, about 150,000 Koreans are living and working in Vietnam while170,000 Vietnamese in the RoK. He expressed his wish that the Vietnameseleaders and NA will pay more attention to the Korean community in Vietnam andaffirmed that the RoK National Assembly will do its utmost to supportVietnamese nationals in the country.-VNA