President Lee Quotes Ho Chi Minh's 'Ibulbyeon Eungmanbyeon': "Vietnam's Future Is Korea's Future"

Attending the Korea-Vietnam Business Forum, delivers congratulatory remarks
"Global uncertainty rising due to Middle East war and technological hegemony competition"
Emphasizes cooperation in high-tech industries, energy, and science and technol

President Lee Jae-myung emphasized once again at the Korea-Vietnam Business Forum that “just as Vietnam’s leap forward became Korea’s growth, now Vietnam’s future will become Korea’s future.” He stressed the need to further advance economic cooperation between the two countries, building on more than 30 years of friendship. In particular, President Lee referenced the heightened global uncertainty due to the ongoing Middle East war and competition for technological supremacy, urging both countries to overcome these crises together through collaboration in high-tech industries, supply chains and energy, and science and technology.

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Korea-Vietnam Business Forum held at a hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam on the 23rd (local time). Photo by Yonhap News Agency

In his congratulatory remarks at the Korea-Vietnam Business Forum in Hanoi, President Lee stated, “The 33 years of shared history between Vietnam and Korea is a continuous story of achievement, demonstrating that mutual trust is the shortcut to shared prosperity.” He noted that when diplomatic relations were established in 1992, bilateral trade was around $6.5 billion, but now it is approaching $100 billion. He added that Korea, leveraging more than 10,000 local businesses, has become Vietnam’s largest investor.

In his remarks, President Lee highlighted Vietnam’s dynamism. He mentioned the night streets of Hanoi, Hoan Kiem Lake, and the glow of motorcycles, saying, “I could feel Vietnam’s vibrant energy.” He described Vietnam as a young nation, with half the population under 30, and called it “the economic heart of ASEAN,” sustaining an average annual growth rate of over 7%. He expressed his respect toward business leaders, describing them as “the main drivers behind these remarkable achievements.”

President Lee presented three directions for future cooperation. First, he called for expanding cooperation in future high-tech industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and digital sectors. He noted, “Korean companies have been building a foundation for cooperation with a focus on semiconductor packaging in Vietnam,” and pledged to continue expanding investments in production facilities. He added that if Vietnam’s spirit of “Doi Moi” (Renewal), its young talent, and Korea’s technological prowess are combined, a new success story can be created.

He also identified supply chain and energy cooperation as crucial pillars. President Lee said, “If our two countries build strong safeguards together in strategic resource sectors such as crude oil and rare earths, we can establish a supply chain ecosystem that is resilient to any economic shock.” He further stated, “The potential for cooperation is great across the energy sector, including nuclear power, renewable energy, and the construction of long-distance power grids. Let’s broaden the horizons of our collaboration.”

President Lee also highlighted the need for cooperation in science and technology and the establishment of institutional foundations. He described this as “an era of technological hegemony, where advanced science and technology determines national power,” and said that science and technology cooperation should advance beyond joint research and personnel exchange. He noted that the recently signed “Korea-Vietnam Science and Technology Innovation Master Plan Framework” will open a new future for cooperation.

President Lee then quoted President Ho Chi Minh’s phrase, “I bul byeon, eung man byeon” (responding to myriad changes with unchanging principles), emphasizing that, especially in these turbulent times when the international economic order is shaken, the 30-plus years of Korea-Vietnam friendship is the most reliable response. “I bul byeon, eung man byeon” means to respond to ten thousand changes with what does not change. He pledged that the Korean government will be “a reliable compass and strong support” for businesses from both countries and urged business leaders to embark on a new voyage toward prosperity.

President Lee Jae-myung is shaking hands with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh after delivering a speech at the Korea-Vietnam Business Forum held at a hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam, on the 23rd. Photo by Yonhap News

Vietnamese officials and business leaders who attended the forum also expressed their commitment to expanding cooperation. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh assessed that since the upgrade of Korea-Vietnam relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2022, a new horizon of cooperation has opened across the economy. He explained that Korea is Vietnam’s largest investor and third-largest trading partner, contributing to the creation of one million jobs and 30% of Vietnam’s exports, based on nearly 15,000 projects and registered capital approaching $100 billion.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated, “Cooperation between our two countries must move beyond simple expansion and transition to qualitative growth,” and proposed three tasks: jointly building a high-tech ecosystem, establishing a flexible and robust supply chain, and achieving innovation through research and technology cooperation. He also promised that the Vietnamese government will revise its systems and regulations to provide a stable and predictable investment environment for foreign investors, including those from Korea. In his welcoming remarks, the Vietnamese Minister of Finance also emphasized that Korea is Vietnam’s largest investor and core partner, stating, “Korea is helping to elevate Vietnam’s status within the global value chain, going beyond simple investment.”

Choi Tae-won, Chairman of the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, “Vietnam is no longer just a land of opportunity but our partner in shaping the future together.” He stated that it is now time for bilateral cooperation to take another leap forward. As future tasks, Chairman Choi suggested three areas: adding higher value to investment and trade, cooperation in AI and advanced technologies, and energy transition and sustainability. He concluded, “Today, we start with greetings, but next time, I hope to meet with tangible results.”

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