In his remarks, Ambassador of the RoK to Viet Nam Choi Youngsam expressed his sincere appreciation to Vietnamese media agencies, reporters, editors, and journalists for their continuous support, cooperation, and effective communication regarding the RoK, as well as the activities of the embassy and the Korean Cultural Centre in Viet Nam over the years.
He extended warm congratulations on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Vietnamese Revolutionary Press Day and highlighted the important role of journalism in fostering understanding and connections between the peoples of the two countries.
The ambassador affirmed that since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, and especially following the upgrade to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2022, Viet Nam and the RoK have maintained a close and robust relationship across various fields. The two countries are now key partners of each other, with frequent high-level visits and exchanges contributing to political trust and deepening bilateral cooperation.
Ambassador Choi emphasised that following the inauguration of President Lee Jae-myung, the new Korean Government continues to regard Viet Nam as a central partner in its foreign policy and is committed to further promoting substantive and friendly cooperation between the two nations. Viet Nam–RoK cooperation has gone beyond diplomacy to become a comprehensive partnership encompassing economics, trade, investment, culture, education, and people-to-people exchanges.
The RoK is currently one of the largest foreign investors in Viet Nam and among the countries with the highest number of tourists visiting Viet Nam. The two countries are also each other’s third-largest trading partners. Viet Nam has the largest number of international students currently studying in the RoK.
Also, during the gathering, representatives from the Korean Association in Viet Nam and Korean businesses operating in the country shared their experiences regarding exchanges and cooperation between the Korean community and Vietnamese localities. They expressed their hope to continue receiving support from Vietnamese media agencies in the time to come, thereby contributing to enhanced friendship and collaboration between the two nations.
Speaking further on the Viet Nam–RoK partnership, Han Young Hee, Counsellor at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Viet Nam, emphasised that the relationship between the two countries has made unprecedented and remarkable progress since diplomatic ties were established in 1992. The upgrade to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2022, marking the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations, made the Republic of Korea the fourth country in the world to establish this level of partnership with Viet Nam.
As of the end of last year, Korean foreign direct investment (FDI) in Viet Nam totals approximately 92 billion USD, with over 10,000 Korean enterprises operating in the country.
The RoK is also implementing a range of official development assistance (ODA) programmes tailored to Viet Nam’s specific needs and is currently the second-largest ODA donor to Viet Nam.
