Discussing the outcomes of the visit with reporters, head of the NA Committee for External Relations Giau said that the senior legislator had a busy working agenda, notably her talks with Speaker of the RoK’s National Assembly Moon Hee-sang and her meeting with President Moon Jae-in.
RoK leaders agreed that, after 26 years since the establishment of the diplomatic ties, the two countries are enjoying rapid development in their relations.
Both sides expressed their optimism with regards to the economic and investment cooperation, head of the NA Committee for External Relations Giau said, citing the fact that the RoK has become the biggest investor in Vietnam with a total registered capital of US$ 62 billion, and the RoK is currently Vietnam’s second largest trade partner, while the latter is the former’s fourth largest trader.
Head of the NA Committee for External Relations Giau stated that the top Korean leaders and Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don all shared the same view that Koreans love travelling to Vietnam. Last year, around 2.5 million Koreans visited Vietnam, and the figure is expected to reach 3.3-3.4 million this year.
According to him, in terms of cultural similarities, both countries’ leaders emphasised the important role of 68 Vietnam-RoK multicultural families in connecting and enhancing the bilateral relationship.
The official said he was touched when listening to the Korean leaders’ remarks that the RoK had carried out a lot of policies supporting Vietnamese brides and labourers.
The Korean side appreciated the Vietnamese community’s contributions to its economic development, head of the NA Committee for External Relations Giau stated, adding that NA Chairwoman Ngan also underlined Korean enterprises’ and people’s contributions to Vietnam’s growth.
He reiterated the hope of the two countries’ top leaders for US$ 100 billion in two-way trade by 2020, adding that this is an important orientation.
Head of the NA Committee for External Relations Giau also shared that RoK leaders showed their interest in people-to-people exchanges, especially when Park Hang-seo, a Korean national, serves as head coach of the Vietnamese national football team.
According to the official, during her visit, Chairwoman Ngan received representatives of the Ly families - descendants of Prince Ly Long Tuong, who emigrated to the RoK from Vietnam in the 13th century, and presented the Friendship Order to Professor Ahn Kyong-hwan – Chairman of the Association of Vietnamese Studies in the RoK.
She was granted with an Honorary Doctorate Degree of Politics by the Pukyong National University and also talked to Vietnamese students.
The senior legislator attended an investment and trade forum between the two countries, and witnessed budget carrier Vietjet’s launch of an air route linking Phu Quoc Island of Vietnam with Seoul at the event.
She also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on an action plan for raising bilateral trade to US$ 100 billion in a balanced manner by 2020, between the Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade, Tran Tuan Anh, and the RoK Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Sung Yunmo.
