Vietnam, ROK seek to strengthen strategic cooperative partnership

The third Korea-Vietnam Forum for the Future took place in Hanoi on November 21 under the theme of deepening the Vietnam-Republic of Korea (ROK) strategic cooperation partnership, as part of activities to celebrate the 25th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations.

At the forum.
At the forum.

Initiated by the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) and the Korea Foundation (KF) in 2012, the forum aims to gather policy makers, managers, experts, scholars, and representatives from social organisations and media agencies, in analysing and evaluating the achievements as well as limitations in Vietnam-ROK bilateral cooperation across various fields, whilst discussing effective policy solutions to further promote this relationship for the peaceful, stable and prosperous development of the two countries.

As the founder of the forum, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang spoke highly of the coordination between the VASS and the KF in developing such a significant scholarly dialogue channel.

Vietnam is currently in a new stage of development and has become a middle income country; however, it is being faced with numerous challenges in regards to restructuring the economy, extensively shifting the growth model based on technology, increasing productivity, developing infrastructure and human resources and reforming administrative procedures, he said.

Thang stated that the issues of climate change adaptation, sustainable and inclusive development and poverty reduction remain the top priorities of the Vietnamese Party and State.

In that context, Vietnam and the ROK should work together to adapt to the strategic adjustments of powers, take advantage of the opportunities from those adjustments, minimise the negative impacts, and overcome the sustainable development challenges within their countries, in order to ensure stability and peace for development, as well as a peaceful, happy and wealthy life for the people, he added.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Thuan, President of the VASS, affirmed that the maintenance of the forum will contribute actively building a shared future of peace, stability and prosperity for both the Vietnamese and ROK people.

Amid the new challenges facing both nations, this year’s forum will help clarify the connotations of the Vietnam-ROK strategic partnership in the new regional and international context, thus working out measures to further facilitate this relationship in the time ahead, he said.

At the forum, scholars of the two countries exchanged views on how to strengthen the political and economic cooperation between Vietnam and the ROK, as well as accelerate the cultural, social and education cooperation and the people-to-people exchange between the two countries.

The outcomes of the forum will be collected into a recommendation report and sent to the two countries’ Governments, thereby contributing to enhancing and developing bilateral relations for the common benefits.