General Secretary To Lam and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung met on August 11th during To Lam's state visit to South Korea (August 10-13). President Lee affirmed Vietnam's importance as a key partner in South Korea's regional foreign policy.
He emphasized the significance of To Lam's visit in further strengthening their comprehensive strategic partnership.
To Lam expressed his desire to work with Lee and other South Korean leaders to foster a new phase of cooperation, focusing on practical, effective, and sustainable outcomes across all sectors, reflecting the highest level of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
The leaders issued a joint statement outlining their commitment to enhancing and deepening their comprehensive strategic partnership, focusing on key areas of collaboration.
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General Secretary To Lam in bilateral talks with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. Photo: TTXVN |
General Secretary To Lam in bilateral talks with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. Photo: TTXVN
The two countries will strengthen political trust and promote practical cooperation in diplomacy, defense, and security.
Vietnam and South Korea agreed to increase high-level exchanges through various formats, enhance cooperation across channels, improve the effectiveness of existing mechanisms, expand collaboration, establish necessary dialogue mechanisms, and address potential issues.
They emphasized continued cooperation in diplomacy, security, and defense, exchanging views on bilateral issues, foreign policy, international and regional matters, strengthening security and defense contacts, promoting cooperation in mine action, UN peacekeeping operations, consular affairs, and judicial matters.
The two nations will elevate economic, trade, investment, science, technology, and development cooperation to new heights, aligning with their mutual needs and interests.
Recognizing each other as leading economic partners, Vietnam and South Korea agreed to address emerging challenges in the regional and international economic landscape.
They agreed to promote the Vietnam-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KVFTA), facilitating market access for each other's goods, aiming for $150 billion in bilateral trade by 2030 in a balanced and sustainable manner.
They will foster long-term and strategic cooperation in supply chains and effectively implement regional and multilateral economic cooperation mechanisms.
South Korea requested Vietnam's support for its businesses to participate in Vietnamese infrastructure projects. Vietnam affirmed its commitment to creating a favorable investment environment for foreign businesses to invest stably and sustainably.
Vietnam and South Korea will strengthen cooperation in finance, insurance, and implementing bilateral retail payment connectivity via QR codes. They identified science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation as key areas for cooperation.
They agreed to expand cooperation in renewable energy and energy efficiency, enhance information exchange on oil and gas exploration and exploitation, and broaden comprehensive cooperation to strengthen the digital transformation of the energy sector and cybersecurity.
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President Lee Jae-myung and General Secretary To Lam inspect the honor guard during the welcoming ceremony on August 11th. Photo: TTXVN |
President Lee Jae-myung and General Secretary To Lam inspect the honor guard during the welcoming ceremony on August 11th. Photo: TTXVN
The two countries will enhance cooperation in labor, healthcare, and education, reflecting their comprehensive strategic partnership.
Vietnam pledged to simplify procedures and facilitate work permits for South Korean citizens. They also proposed that South Korea explore support options for Vietnamese workers returning home after their contracts expire, enabling them to continue working at South Korean companies operating in Vietnam.
They will strengthen healthcare cooperation, promoting technology transfer and advanced treatment techniques, collaborating on biotechnology research and application, and fostering cooperation between healthcare institutions, medical universities, and research institutes.
They agreed to further expand educational cooperation, promoting exchanges between high schools and vocational training institutions.
Vietnam and South Korea will enhance cooperation in sustainable development, climate change response, agriculture, and infrastructure, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050. They will strengthen cooperation in forestry and efficient and sustainable water resource management.
They will promote cooperation in high-tech agriculture, transportation infrastructure, smart cities, construction safety, and human resource training in transportation and construction.
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General Secretary To Lam in talks with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. Photo: TTXVN |
General Secretary To Lam in talks with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. Photo: TTXVN
The two sides agreed to promote cultural, sports, tourism, media, and people-to-people exchanges through enhanced communication and events, fostering stronger bonds and understanding between the two countries.
South Korea agreed to actively cooperate in improving sports performance in certain disciplines where it excels, share its experience in developing the entertainment industry, and support Vietnam in developing and implementing a cultural industry development strategy. South Korea will also assist Vietnam in establishing a Vietnamese Cultural Center in South Korea.
Both sides acknowledged the contributions of the South Korean community in Vietnam and the Vietnamese community in South Korea to bilateral relations, facilitating the integration of multicultural families into local life.
Vietnam and South Korea agreed to cooperate closely in international and regional forums and mechanisms, enhancing coordination within international organizations and multilateral platforms, and participating in joint efforts to address traditional and non-traditional security issues.
They reaffirmed the importance of ensuring peace, stability, respect for international law, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, particularly the principle of peaceful dispute resolution based on international law. They supported peaceful efforts on the Korean Peninsula, advocated for inter-Korean dialogue, and called on relevant parties to strictly adhere to international obligations and commitments.
Vietnam welcomed and supported South Korea's efforts to resume inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation, expressing its willingness to actively participate in building a peaceful, stable, and prosperous environment on the Korean Peninsula.
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General Secretary To Lam and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung at the press conference on August 11th. Photo: TTXVN |
General Secretary To Lam and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung at the press conference on August 11th. Photo: TTXVN
Both sides considered General Secretary To Lam's state visit to South Korea a success, marking a milestone and opening a new chapter in the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
Nhu Tam
