Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to the Republic of Korea

Sincere cooperation for a bright future

The official visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse and the high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese Government has reaped many brilliant successes, illustrating the close, sincere, effective, and substantive attachment towards the bright future of the two countries.
At the talks between Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Korean counterpart Han Duck-soo. (Photo: baoquocte.vn)
At the talks between Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Korean counterpart Han Duck-soo. (Photo: baoquocte.vn)

Prioritising emerging areas

Upon their arrival at the RoK, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse and the high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese Government received a respectful, warm and sincere welcome from the RoK Government and people.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held successful talks with his Korean counterpart Han Duck-soo.

During the talks, the two sides emphasised that Vietnam and the RoK share many similarities in history, culture and people, along with the fact that about 300,000 Vietnamese people are currently living, studying and doing business in the RoK while more than 200,000 Koreans are running businesses and living in Vietnam.

These are natural factors that provide favourable foundations to bring the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries to new heights.

Leaders of the two countries affirmed that the bilateral relationship has never been developing better than it is now.

At the talks, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh urged the RoK to further open its market for Vietnamese goods and called on Korean companies to expand investment in Vietnam, particularly in liquefied natural gas (LNG), digital economy, green economy, circular economy, semiconductors, renewable energy, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence (AI). He also proposed that the RoK build more R&D centres in Vietnam.

For his part, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo pledged to help Vietnamese companies integrate deeper into RoK-led supply chains in the Southeast Asian nation. He suggested enhancing cooperation to promote investment by Korean firms in building stable core mineral supply chains.

At Prime Minister Chinh’s meeting with Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, both sides committed to fostering deeper economic ties, aiming for a bilateral trade value of 100 billion USD by 2025 and 150 billion USD by 2030.

PM Pham Minh Chinh (L) and Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (Photo: VNA)

PM Pham Minh Chinh (L) and Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (Photo: VNA)

In such spirit, Prime Minister Chinh proposed joint efforts to attract Korean investments in key sectors like semiconductors, digital transformation, green technology, and biotechnology. He urged the Korean government to prioritise high-tech and high-value-added projects, alongside workforce training in the fields of semiconductors, hydrogen energy, and AI.

Meanwhile, President Yoon proposed creating favourable conditions for Korean enterprises to participate in Vietnam's major projects, especially in energy and liquefied natural gas.

He affirmed the RoK's commitment to assist Vietnam in training workforce for semiconductor and hi-tech industries while also supporting the development of its cultural industry.

Within the framework of the visit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a working lunch with Korean experts and scientists in the fields of semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI).

Participants advised the country to prepare large investment and high-quality human resources, and immediately implement specific short-cut projects.

With its experience, resources, infrastructure, experts, scientists, and research and production facilities, the RoK is willing to cooperate with Vietnam in the two fields via specific projects, they said.

Close and deep attachment

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s RoK visit also received much attention and appreciation from scholars, intellectuals, and social organisations of the host country.

PM Pham Minh Chinh has a meeting with Korean friends with significant contributions to the bilateral relations. (Photo: baoquocte.vn)

PM Pham Minh Chinh has a meeting with Korean friends with significant contributions to the bilateral relations. (Photo: baoquocte.vn)

The Vietnamese Government leader had a meeting with 70 Koreans representing organisations and associations as well as standout individuals with significant contributions to Vietnam-Republic of Korea ties in recent years.

Prominent among the participants included President of the Daejin International Volunteer Association (DIVA) Yun Eun Ho, former head coach of Vietnam national football team Park Hang-seo, and former Chairman of the Association of Vietnamese Studies in the RoK Professor Ahn Kyong-hwan.

Within the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh acknowledged the effective activities made by both Vietnamese and Korean organisations to bolster the exchange and cooperation between the two nations and enterprises, helping to shape a firm social foundation for the strong development of bilateral ties over the years.

He expressed his hope that they will continue expanding and renewing cooperation activities; enhancing communications work to raise public awareness of the histories, cultures, and people of the other country; as well as promoting their bridging role to nurture the bilateral relations.

Opening up new horizons of cooperation

The cooperation between Vietnam and Korea has been identified as a relationship that brings practical benefits to both countries, and there is vast room for further economic cooperation.

Prioritising cooperation in emerging fields such as AI, semiconductor, and green economy were among the key topics at forums and discussions between Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Korean businesses and scientists.

During his busy working schedule in the RoK, the Vietnamese Government leader attended and addressed three forums, two seminars, and multiple meetings with Korean businesses.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh addresses Vietnam-RoK Business Forum in Seoul. (Photo: VNA)

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh addresses Vietnam-RoK Business Forum in Seoul. (Photo: VNA)

At the Vietnam-RoK Business Forum, businesses from the two countries highly appreciated Vietnam's business investment environment, and hoped for further economic, trade, and investment cooperation, especially in large-scale investment projects in key areas.

Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that Vietnam always encourages Korean businesses to expand investment cooperation in areas of RoK’s strengths which Vietnam has high demand and priority for, such as high technology, electronics, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence (AI), infrastructure construction, renewable energy, new energy (hydrogen), biotechnology, innovation, high-quality human resource training, and cultural industry.

The government leader also shared his hope that Korean businesses will help Vietnamese enterprises to better participate in value chains of Korean firms and the world.

During his stay in the RoK, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also delivered a policy speech at Seoul National University, during which he expressed his belief that the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and the RoK will develop in an increasingly strong, effective, and sustainable manner with a bright future ahead.