The visit’s success has provided strong momentum to usher the Viet Nam–Republic of Korea Comprehensive Strategic Partnership into a new era of deeper and more comprehensive development for both countries.
This visit carried particular significance as it was General Secretary To Lam’s first visit in his current capacity and the first visit by a general secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam to the Republic of Korea in the past 11 years. General Secretary To Lam was also the first foreign leader to pay a state visit to the Republic of Korea since the inauguration of its new administration. This is a vivid demonstration that both Viet Nam and the Republic of Korea attach great importance to one another and give high priority to the friendly relations and comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
During the visit, the leaders and people of the Republic of Korea welcomed General Secretary To Lam, his spouse, and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation with a solemn ceremony and warm sentiments. General Secretary To Lam held important high-level talks with President Lee Jae Myung; met with Prime Minister Kim Min Seok and National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Sik; delivered a policy address at Yonsei University; attended the Viet Nam–Republic of Korea Economic Forum — a seminar on science and technology; met with leaders of the Republic of Korea–Viet Nam Parliamentary Friendship Group; and engaged with representatives of the Viet Nam Innovation Network in the Republic of Korea, intellectuals, social organisations, people’s associations, and leading Korean enterprises.
The general secretary also witnessed the signing of cooperation agreements between ministries, sectors, localities, and enterprises of the two countries in technology, energy, digital transformation, infrastructure, supply chains, finance and banking, services, tourism, and human resources training.
In their talks and meetings, held in a spirit of friendship, sincerity, and openness, General Secretary To Lam and the Korean leaders shared the view that Viet Nam–Republic of Korea relations are currently enjoying an excellent period of development, with remarkable progress and many bright spots in cooperation.
Over the past 33 years, since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, Viet Nam and the Republic of Korea have become comprehensive strategic partners, engaging in extensive cooperation across all fields, supporting and coordinating with each other in multilateral and international organisations and forums.
The leaders of both countries have held in-depth discussions and reached important common understandings on comprehensively advancing and deepening the Viet Nam–Republic of Korea Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, as well as on regional and international issues of mutual concern. They reaffirmed that the two countries are each other’s top partners in all fields, stressing that the achievements of the past 33 years form a solid foundation and long-term driving force for further consolidating and elevating the comprehensive strategic artnership into a new phase that is more comprehensive, profound, substantive, and effective.
In their joint statement on deepening the Viet Nam–Republic of Korea Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, General Secretary To Lam and President Lee Jae Myung agreed that, in the context of a rapidly changing and complex global situation and in a forward-looking spirit for the sustainable development of bilateral relations, Viet Nam and the Republic of Korea will continue to further deepen cooperation in all fields to ensure the tangible benefits of their peoples, contributing to peace, stability, and development in the region and the world.
Major directions focus on specific areas of cooperation, including: firmly consolidating political trust and promoting substantive cooperation in diplomacy, defence, and security; elevating economics, trade, investment, science and technological development, and development cooperation to new heights; enhancing cooperation in labour, healthcare, and education in keeping with the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership; promoting sustainable development cooperation, climate change response, agriculture, and infrastructure; deepening cultural, sports, tourism, media, and people-to-people exchanges to foster closer ties and deeper mutual understanding; and working closely together in international and regional forums and mechanisms.
The state visit to the Republic of Korea by General Secretary To Lam, his spouse, and the high-level Vietnamese delegation concluded with great success, setting a new milestone and further elevating the Viet Nam–Republic of Korea Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The visit fulfilled the shared aspirations and interests of both peoples in a new era of development and prosperity, while contributing to peace, stability, and development regionally and globally.
