SEOUL– National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo has discussed improving cooperation between South Korea and Vietnam in various areas during meetings with top Vietnamese officials, Kim’s office said Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Kim met with President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his counterpart, Vuong Dinh Hue, of Vietnam, respectively, in Hanoi as part of his weeklong visit to the country.
During the meetings, Kim touted the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations and called for strengthening the relationship under the “comprehensive strategic partnership” established by the two countries’ leaders in December last year.
According to Kim’s office, South Korea is the only country Vietnam established such a partnership with other than China, Russia and India.
“We need to strengthen our cooperation to achieve stability and prosperity in the ASEAN region, and work to substantially advance the reciprocity between the two countries and deepen the friendly sentiment between the people, as the diplomatic relationship was upgraded to the top level,” Kim said in a meeting with Phuc.
Kim added Seoul and Hanoi can work together in various areas from the economy and maritime security to the arms industry.
Kim also asked for Vietnam’s support in South Korea’s adoption of its own Indo-pacific strategy and plan to strengthen the solidarity with the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations.
Phuc said Vietnam supports and is ready to help Korea’s plan in the international community for the benefit of both countries.
In meetings with the Vietnamese prime minister and assembly speaker, Kim discussed improving cooperation in the semiconductor, digital and energy industries amid growing economic uncertainty, according to Kim’s office.
Kim plans to wrap up his stay in Vietnam on Wednesday and travel to Indonesia.
Source: Yonhap News Agency