Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son has expressed his belief that relat꧒ions between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) will continue to flourish across all fields to the benefit of both peoples following President Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s recently concluded State visit.

In an interview granted to the media on December 7, Minister Son described the visit from December 4 to 6 as highly successful. Taking place on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, it was the highest-level trip to the RoK by a Party and State leader of Vietnam since President Yoon Suk-yeol took office. President Phuc was also the first foreign leader to be welcomed by Yoon at the State level as President of the RoK. Leaders of the RoK affirmed that Vietnam is a focal partner in the implementation of their country’s “free, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific strategy” and “RoK-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative”. They also pledged support for close cooperation between Vietnamese and Korean ministries and sectors to achieve the common perceptions reached between the countries’ leaders, as well as signed agreements, according to Son. He noted the most outstanding result of the visit was the elevation of the countries’ ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and a joint statement issued by the two leaders. The upgrade was a historic milestone heralding a stage of stronger and more substantive development of bilateral relations. The minister went on to say that during the visit, the two sides agreed on major orientations and concrete measures for developing relations in line with the spirit of the new partnership. President Phuc also joined representatives of over 500 enterprises at a Vietnam - RoK business forum while receiving leaders of nearly 30 major enterprises, banks, financial organisations, and investors of the RoK. Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh and other officials from Vietnamese ministries, sectors, and localities also held meetings with local partners to discuss cooperation. Providing more details about the comprehensive strategic partnership, Son noted under this partnership, cooperation between Vietnam and the RoK will be enhanced and expanded in all areas, from politics - diplomacy, security - defence, economy, trade and investment to education, science - technology, and people-to-people exchanges. In particular, these cooperation areas will become more practical and fruitful in the time ahead. The elevation of ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership will give momentum to the consolidation of political trust and mutual understanding, thereby creating a favourable environment for promoting cooperation in different spheres, especially economy, he added. With the significant achievements obtained over the last 30 years and efforts by both nations, Vietnam - RoK relations will grow even more strongly across the board, thus generating benefits for the two peoples and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and prosperous development in the region and the world, he said. Besides, Son added, fostering exchanges between the two peoples, along with collaboration in humanities and social affairs, was also a focus of President Phuc’s visit. Leaders of both countries agreed on the need to bolster bilateral exchanges and considered this an important factor of the Vietnam - RoK friendship. The visit was successful in terms of not only politics but also social aspects, meeting the aspirations of the countries’ peoples and businesses. It was a milestone and an important impetus for bilateral cooperation to develop in an increasingly substantive and sustainable manner for the sake of the two peoples, along with peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world, according to the official./.