Yoon "Korea-Vietnam Cooperation Important Amid Global Crises"… Truong "Korea, Priority Country for Economy and Foreign Affairs"

Korea-Vietnam Expanded Summit Opening Remarks "Unified Voice for Friendly Development"
Government Officials on Security as well as Economy Also Present

President Yoon Suk-yeol, on the 23rd (local time), during the Korea-Vietnam summit with Vietnamese State President Vo Van Thuong, defined the bilateral relationship as a "precious 30-year friendship" and emphasized that "amid the recent severe international situation and global complex crises, cooperation between the two countries is more important than ever."

This sentiment reflects the need for South Korea, a key country in Northeast Asia, and Vietnam, a core nation in Southeast Asia, to join forces not only in economic relations but also in response to global bloc formations such as the US-China trade conflict, territorial disputes, and North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations. To this end, unusually, security-related government officials such as the head of the Korean Coast Guard and the Vietnamese Deputy Minister of National Defense also attended.

President Yoon made these remarks during his opening statement at the expanded Korea-Vietnam summit held at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi that morning.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

After greeting in Vietnamese with "Xin ch?o (Hello)," President Yoon mentioned the 30 years of bilateral relations and the elevation to a comprehensive strategic partnership last year, stressing the need to make the coming 30 years dynamic and progressive.

President Yoon said, "I am very pleased to visit Vietnam as my first bilateral ASEAN country visit. Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1992, bilateral trade has increased 175-fold, and South Korea has become Vietnam's largest investor. The 170,000 Korean residents in Vietnam and 230,000 Vietnamese nationals in South Korea serve as a strong bridge connecting our two countries," he evaluated.

He continued, "Building on the achievements of the past 30 years, I look forward to creating a brighter and more dynamic future for the next 30 years. Our two countries have been precious friends for 30 years, and I hope we will transform our relationship into an even more valuable one for the next 30 years. Amid the recent severe international situation and global complex crises, cooperation between our countries is more important than ever," he emphasized.

Furthermore, he expressed hope that concrete and practical cooperation measures for a free, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region would be discussed. President Yoon views deepening diplomatic and security relations with Vietnam as essential not only for economic matters but also for the Indo-Pacific strategy announced last year and the ASEAN regional solidarity initiative.

President Vo Van Thuong expressed gratitude to President Yoon for choosing Vietnam as the first state visit country among ASEAN nations and shared the view on the necessity of long-term development of Korea-Vietnam relations. President Thuong said, "Vietnam prioritizes South Korea as an important country in its socio-economic development projects and foreign policy, and we wish to develop the comprehensive strategic partnership with South Korea effectively and long-term."

He added, "Against this background, in today's meeting, I would like to discuss with Your Excellency the new content of bilateral relations, the major directions and methods for implementation, and key regional issues of common interest in globalization."

At the expanded summit, the Korean side was represented by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho, Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Lee Chang-yang, Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jeong-sik, National Security Office Director Cho Tae-yong, Ambassador to Vietnam Oh Young-joo, First Deputy Director of the National Security Office Kim Tae-hyo, Chief of Public Relations Kim Eun-hye, Senior Secretary for Economic Affairs Choi Sang-mok, Korean Coast Guard Chief Kim Jong-wook, Diplomatic Secretary Lee Chung-myeon, and ASEAN Director Kim Dong-bae.

On the Vietnamese side, attendees included Minister of Public Security To Lam, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, Minister of the Presidential Office Nguyen Van Hai, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien, Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung, Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Tang, Vietnamese Ambassador to South Korea Tran Quoc Thang, and Deputy Minister of National Defense.

The summit began with an official welcoming ceremony featuring an inspection of the Vietnamese Army, Navy, and Air Force honor guards, followed by a small-group meeting and an expanded meeting, lasting approximately 1 hour and 35 minutes.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.