Pyongyang: North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui has held talks with her Vietnamese counterpart, Le Hoai Trung, agreeing to deepen bilateral exchanges and cooperation in various fields, Pyongyang's state media reported. The meeting, which took place the previous day in Pyongyang, focused on a wide range of international and regional issues.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Trung arrived in North Korea on Tuesday as a special envoy of Vietnamese President To Lam. The discussions between the two foreign ministers highlighted the desire to strengthen friendly ties, building upon the outcome of summit talks between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Vietnam's President Lam in October last year in Pyongyang.
The North Korean state media, Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), reported that both sides "agreed to further deepen exchanges and cooperation in various areas and strengthen strategic communication as well as mutual support and cooperation between external policy organs of the two countries." The meeting signifies continued efforts by Pyongyang and Hanoi to bolster their relationship, following the visit of Vietnam's top leader Lam to North Korea last year. This visit was significant as it marked the first visit to the North by a Vietnamese top leader in 18 years, coinciding with celebrations for the 80th founding anniversary of North Korea's ruling party.