Prime Minister leaves for summits in RoK

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, his spouse and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam left Hanoi on November 24 for the ASEAN-Republic of Korea (RoK) Commemorative Summit and the first Mekong-RoK Summit, and an official visit to the RoK.

prime minister leaves for summits in rok hinh 0
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc

The trip from November 24-28 is made at the invitation of President of the RoK Moon Jae-in.

PM Phuc’s official visit to the RoK is the first by a Vietnamese PM in seven years, and is of significance to strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the new situation.

The ASEAN-RoK Commemorative Summit was proposed by the RoK at the 20th ASEAN-RoK Summit in November 2018 in Singapore, aiming to celebrate the 30th founding anniversary of bilateral relations (1989-2019). It will take place on November 25 and 26.

The summit offers an opportunity for leaders of ASEAN member countries and the RoK to review the 30-year collaboration and promote orientations for the ASEAN-RoK strategic partnership in the next three decades on the basis of the present fruitful and comprehensive ties.

The ten-member group and the RoK established ties in 1989 and advanced their relationship to the level of comprehensive cooperative partnership in 2004, which was elevated to a strategic partnership in 2010. Two years later, the RoK dispatched its ambassador and established a mission to the ASEAN.

The Mekong-RoK cooperation was initiated at the 13th ASEAN-RoK Summit on October 29, 2010 when Korean President Lee Myung-bak proposed organising the Mekong-RoK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in order to enhance political and economic ties between Mekong River Basin countries and the RoK, narrow development gaps and push ahead with the building of the ASEAN Community.

The first Mekong-RoK Summit will take place in Busan on November 27, under the co-chair of the Korean President and the Thai Prime Minister.

Vietnam the RoK set up diplomatic ties on December 22, 1992. Over the past 27 years, the bilateral relationship has made comprehensive strides, and been maintained at different levels.

Vietnam opened its embassy in Seoul in March 1993. In November the same year, the RoK also opened its Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. In August 2011, the two sides issued a joint statement on the comprehensive partnership in the 21st century on the occasion of the visit to the RoK by the then President Tran Duc Luong. In October 2009, the two countries lifted their relationship to a strategic cooperative partnership during the visit to Vietnam by the then President Lee Myung-bak.

The RoK is one of Vietnam’s leading important partners, ranking first in investment, second in official development assistance (ODA) provision after Japan, and third in trade after China and the European Union.

Besides, the RoK is Vietnam’s second largest labour importer and Vietnam is the second largest labour exporter of the RoK. Currently, more than 48,000 Vietnamese guest workers are working in the RoK.

Over the past years, the RoK has emerged as a major source of tourists to Vietnam. In the first nine months of 2019, the number of Korean visitors to the Southeast Asian nation was over 3.14 million, up 22.5 percent year-on-year. Currently, there are more than 1,000 direct flights between the two countries each month.

Statistics from the Korean side show that as of June 2019, there were more than 216,000 Vietnamese in the RoK. The number of Koreans in Vietnam was over 150,000, almost businesspeople.

VNA

Other News

National Assembly Chairman urges renovation in leadership, working style

National Assembly Chairman urges renovation in leadership, working style

The NA's Committee for Cultural and Social Affairs has moved fast to reshuffle its organisation after the 14th National Party Congress and the election of deputies to the 16th NA, updating its work agenda to match new directives set out in the resolutions of the 14th National Party Congress and the first Congress of the NA Party Organisation for the 2025–2030 term.

Vietnam treasures ties with Croatia: PM

Vietnam treasures ties with Croatia: PM

Vietnam and Croatia should strive to double bilateral trade turnover from the current level of 161 million USD; study the establishment of a Joint Committee on Economic Cooperation to create a long-term, stable, and effective framework for collaboration, said Prime Minister Le Minh Hung.

President Ho Chi Minh's enduring legacy highlighted at Venezuela commemoration

President Ho Chi Minh's enduring legacy highlighted at Venezuela commemoration

Vice President of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) Jesús Faria expressed deep admiration for President Ho Chi Minh and Vietnam’s indomitable struggle for national independence. He described President Ho Chi Minh as an immortal symbol of 20th-century national liberation movements, whose legacy continues to inspire leftist parties, progressive movements, and peoples across Latin America, including Venezuela.

Vietnam proposes key cooperation orientations at BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting

Vietnam proposes key cooperation orientations at BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Hang shared Vietnam’s approach to building an independent and self-reliant economy linked to deep international integration, while proposing several key areas for enhanced cooperation between BRICS and partner countries at the Expanded BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting that opened on May 14 in India.

Vietnam asks parties to respect its sovereignty over Truong Sa

Vietnam asks parties to respect its sovereignty over Truong Sa

PSNews - The spokesperson stated that the dispatch of personnel by relevant parties to features belonging to Truong Sa without Vietnam’s permission constitutes a violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty under international law. She stressed that such actions run counter to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) as well as ongoing efforts by countries to negotiate a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

Hanoi to host ASEAN Future Forum 2026 in mid-June

Hanoi to host ASEAN Future Forum 2026 in mid-June

PSNews - Vietnam’s proposals placed the highest priority on ensuring a peaceful and stable environment conducive for continued sustainable development and improving the well-being and happiness of the ASEAN people. They were praised by member states and incorporated into the core contents of the ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on the response to the Middle East crisis.

Vietnam promotes cooperation with United Nations on crime prevention

Vietnam promotes cooperation with United Nations on crime prevention

Vietnam highly values the support of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in strengthening national capacity in crime prevention and criminal justice, drug control, and addressing emerging challenges, particularly cybercrime, said Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang.

Party, State leader calls for consolidation of central steering committees on legal, judicial reform

Party, State leader calls for consolidation of central steering committees on legal, judicial reform

Consolidating the central steering committees for institutional and legal reform and for judicial reform is necessary in order to streamline organisational structures without reducing responsibilities, while ensuring clear accountability, measurable outputs and concrete results. Following the restructuring, the body will be renamed the central steering committee for institutional improvement and law enforcement, with the Party General Secretary and State President serving as its head.

Vietnam strives for substantive outcome at NPT review conference

Vietnam strives for substantive outcome at NPT review conference

At the meeting this week, Ambassador Viet briefed the UNGA President on developments during the first two weeks of the conference. He stressed that the current international geopolitical landscape poses numerous complex challenges, while reaffirming Vietnam’s determination, together with other member states, to promote substantive and balanced outcomes at the conference.

Top leader of Vietnam receives Vientiane official in Hanoi

Top leader of Vietnam receives Vientiane official in Hanoi

The host leader stressed that cooperation between localities, particularly between the capitals of Hanoi and Vientiane, plays an especially important role as a pioneering force in effectively implementing the foreign polices of the two Parties and States, while also serving as a bridge between politics and development, as well as between strategy and concrete action.