Viet Nam, RoK strengthen anti-corruption cooperation

Over nearly 35 years, particularly in recent years, Viet Nam–RoK relations have increasingly lived up to their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Tri said.

High-ranking leaders of the two countries have made many state visits within a short period of time, reflecting the growing substance of their partnership. These included the August 2025 visit to the RoK by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam, the April 2026 visit to Viet Nam by the RoK President, and the September 2026 visit to the RoK by National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man.

Beyond political, economic, investment, trade and tourism ties, bilateral relations have also been reinforced by cultural similarities and close people-to-people connections, he noted.

Speaking highly of the RoK's achievements in combating corruption, Tri stressed that as Viet Nam pursues its target of double-digit economic growth in 2026 and subsequent years, anti-corruption efforts must not only focus on detecting and handling violations but also contribute to development.

Therefore, the scope of these efforts has been expanded to cover the prevention and combat of wastefulness and other negative practices, with greater emphasis on tackling problems at their source and at an early stage, aiming to build a society, institutions and a contingent of officials characterised by integrity, he said.

Tri called for stronger experience sharing and training programmes tailored to Viet Nam's needs and the RoK's strengths, affirming that the countries share a strong determination to combat corruption.

The host described the signing and implementation of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on anti-corruption between the Commission for Internal Affairs and the ACRC as a demonstration of this commitment, adding both agencies have made concerted efforts to fulfil their cooperation commitments and achieved positive results.

He proposed that the two sides build on their respective strengths and translate the extended cooperation deal into practical activities, including sharing approaches and working methods, to improve their operational effectiveness and further strengthen the Viet Nam–RoK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

For his part, Lee agreed with Tri's opinions, describing the extension of cooperation as a starting point for broader collaboration. He pledged to continue promoting ties between the two agencies.

He noted that since establishing diplomatic relations in 1992, the two countries have recorded positive progress across various fields, including politics, the economy and people-to-people exchanges, and they will mark the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2027.

The Korean official expressed confidence that cooperation between the two countries will continue to grow and reach new heights.

At the subsequent talks, representatives of the Commission for Internal Affairs briefed the Korean side on Viet Nam's achievements in the fight against corruption, wastefulness and negative practices, as well as efforts to improve the legal framework.

The ACRC delegation shared the RoK's experience in protecting whistleblowers, including a mechanism that allows anonymous reports to be submitted through authorised representatives.

The two agencies also exchanged letters extending their MoU for 2026–2028, laying the groundwork for further exchanges, experience-sharing and more effective cooperation in anti-corruption efforts.