After India Visit, President Lee Arrives in Vietnam... Nuclear Power and Supply Chain Cooperation to Be Discussed at Summit

President Lee Embarks on Three-Day State Visit
Seeking to Strengthen Strategic and Mutually Beneficial Cooperation
Heads of Major Business Groups Accompany as Part of Economic Delegation

After completing his state visit to India, President Lee Jae-myung traveled to Hanoi, Vietnam on the 21st (local time) to begin summit diplomacy with To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President. The upcoming Korea-Vietnam summit is expected to focus on economic security issues, such as cooperation in infrastructure, nuclear power, energy and supply chain stability, as well as key mineral resources. President Lee plans to use this visit as an opportunity to discuss practical measures to elevate the two countries' strategic and mutually beneficial cooperation to a higher level.

President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, who are on a state visit to Vietnam, are disembarking from Air Force One at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on the 21st (local time) and moving. Photo by Yonhap News

After concluding his state visit to India, President Lee arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam in the afternoon. Following a brief period of rest, on the 22nd, he will attend a luncheon with the Korean community in Vietnam, pay tribute at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, participate in an official welcoming ceremony, hold the Korea-Vietnam summit, attend a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony, deliver a joint media statement, and attend a state banquet.

The key focus of this summit is advancing strategic economic cooperation. Last year, Vietnam became Korea's third-largest trading partner after China and the United States, with bilateral trade exceeding 94.5 billion dollars, and more than 10,000 Korean companies are now operating in Vietnam. As Korean companies are striving to win major national projects in Vietnam, including nuclear power plants, new cities, and new airports, many heads of major conglomerates are accompanying President Lee as part of an economic delegation.

The Blue House has cited several expected outcomes from the Vietnam visit: cooperation aimed at achieving 150 billion dollars in bilateral trade by 2030, revitalizing trade in items of mutual interest, and strengthening mutually beneficial strategic partnerships in critical sectors such as infrastructure and nuclear power. In addition, the Blue House emphasized plans to strengthen communication to build economic security partnerships in energy, supply chain stability, and key mineral resource cooperation amid ongoing global uncertainty.

There are also plans to explore future-oriented cooperation. The Blue House intends to present a mid- to long-term vision for bilateral science and technology cooperation through a master plan framework for innovation, and to promote win-win cooperation by supporting the training of future talent in Vietnam to help address labor shortages faced by Korean companies there. The two sides are also expected to discuss expanding collaboration in digital fields such as artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors, as well as supporting the entry of Korean information technology (IT) companies into the Vietnamese market.

Vietnam's role as a hub for the Korean Wave in ASEAN will also be further strengthened. Specifically, the two countries plan to discuss expanding cooperation in the cultural industry and supporting the expansion of Korean language education in Vietnam. With Vietnam being the second most visited country by Koreans, and Vietnamese visitors ranking second among ASEAN countries coming to Korea, the two governments aim to build momentum for 5 million mutual visits through enhanced tourism and people-to-people exchanges. As of last year, mutual visits reached 4.87 million people.

President Lee Jae-myung shakes hands with Vo Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, before the expanded Korea-Vietnam summit held at the presidential office building in Yongsan, Seoul on August 11, 2025. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

This visit also carries symbolic significance as an "early mutual visit" by the leaders of both countries. To Lam visited Korea last year as President Lee's first state guest, while President Lee is now the first foreign head of state to visit Vietnam since the inauguration of its new leadership. The conversations between the two leaders during last August's visit to Korea and their phone call this January are expected to serve as a basis for developing more concrete and practical measures for cooperation. To Lam, who became General Secretary in August 2024, was re-elected at the party congress in January this year and last month was unanimously confirmed as President by the National Assembly.

The schedule following the summit is also focused on economic diplomacy. On the 23rd, President Lee is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, to discuss ways to strengthen strategic economic cooperation, resolve difficulties faced by Korean companies operating in Vietnam, and improve the living environment for Korean businesspeople and expatriates. He will then attend the Korea-Vietnam Business Forum to review future cooperation agendas including trade, investment, AI, science and technology, and energy transition.

The Blue House views this visit to Vietnam as an opportunity to broaden the foundation for not only economic cooperation but also future-oriented partnerships. The government plans to expand the scope of cooperation to include science and technology, climate change response, talent development, the cultural industry, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges, thereby laying the groundwork for shared prosperity. Through these efforts, the government aims to upgrade and strengthen relations with Vietnam—one of the fastest-growing economies—beyond simple trade, to encompass supply chains, advanced industries, and livelihood issues through strategic cooperation.

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