An important milestone in the traditional friendship between Vietnam and North Korea

At the invitation of General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam will pay a State visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and attend the ceremony to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea from October 9-11, 2025.

VNA introduces the content of an interview with Vietnamese Ambassador to North Korea Le Ba Vinh about the significance of this visit.

Ambassador, could you please tell us the significance of General Secretary To Lam's State visit to North Korea and his attendance at the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea?

75 years ago, on January 31, 1950, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea officially established diplomatic relations. Since then, the traditional friendship between the two countries has always been valued by the two Parties, the two States and the two Peoples, and has been constantly consolidated and developed. The two sides have maintained mutual support and assistance in the cause of national liberation and the construction of socialism in each country.

Based on that solid foundation of the relationship, in recent times, the two sides have regularly maintained exchanges and delegations at high and all levels with higher political trust and more substantial cooperation results. Therefore, following the very successful official friendship visit to Vietnam by General Secretary and Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Kim Jong Un, General Secretary To Lam's visit to the DPRK continues to be a vivid demonstration of the loyal and close friendship between the two Parties, two States and peoples of the two countries. The visit is also an opportunity for Vietnam to convey its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization, diversification of relations, being a friend, a reliable and responsible partner of the international community.

It is even more meaningful when the visit takes place at a key time for each Party, each country and bilateral relations. In particular, Vietnam has just successfully organized major events in 2025 such as the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and national reunification, the 80th anniversary of the successful August Revolution and the 80th anniversary of National Day on September 2. Vietnam is striving to successfully implement the goals and tasks set out in the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress; summarizing 40 years of innovation and focusing on preparations for the 14th Congress. North Korea is also focusing on preparing activities to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea (October 10, 1945 - October 10, 2025), accelerating the completion of the goals set out by the 8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea and urgently preparing for the 9th Congress. Therefore, the visit will be an important milestone in the construction and development of each country and in the traditional friendship between Vietnam and North Korea that is developing very well today.

On this occasion, key leaders of the two Parties and two countries will have in-depth discussions and identify major directions and measures to promote the effective and substantive development of bilateral relations, in accordance with the interests and aspirations of the two peoples, in accordance with relevant regulations, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Could the Ambassador review the relationship between Vietnam and North Korea over the past 75 years and tell us about the current situation of cooperation between the two countries?

North Korea was one of the first three countries to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, after China and the Soviet Union, right after President Ho Chi Minh issued a statement of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (January 14, 1950) expressing the desire to establish relations with other countries. In 1955, Vietnam opened an embassy in Pyongyang and North Korea also established an embassy in Hanoi.

North Korea was also the first country to recognize and establish diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level with the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam, agreeing to let Vietnam establish a permanent representative office of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam in Pyongyang from 1966 and a permanent representative office at the ambassadorial level of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam from 1969, and at the same time providing all operating and living expenses for the Representative Office of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam and then the Embassy of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam until the end of 1975. For its part, since the war, the Vietnamese people have repeatedly supported the North Korean people with tens of thousands of tons of rice.

Over the history of formation and development of relations, up to now, the two countries have carried out many exchange activities and delegations, the most notable of which are the official friendship visit to North Korea by President Ho Chi Minh in 1957; the official friendship visit to Vietnam by Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, Premier of North Korea Kim Il Sung in 1958; the visit to North Korea by Prime Minister Pham Van Dong in 1961; the unofficial visit to Vietnam by President Kim Il Sung in 1964; the official visit to North Korea by Chairman of the State Council Vo Chi Cong in 1988; the official visit to North Korea by President Tran Duc Luong in 2002; the official friendship visit to North Korea by General Secretary Nong Duc Manh in 2007; the official friendship visit to Vietnam by President of North Korea Kim Jong Un in 2019 and this occasion is the State visit to North Korea by General Secretary To Lam.

Within the framework of the visits, the two sides agreed to increase high-level visits and contacts, expand exchanges and delegations at all levels through the Party, State and people's organizations in a practical and effective manner to enhance mutual understanding and share experiences in areas of mutual need.

Cooperation in the fields of culture, sports and people-to-people exchange has been enhanced, thereby contributing to enhancing understanding between the people of the two countries about the fine tradition of friendship between Vietnam and Korea. Agricultural cooperation is one of the bright spots. The two sides also regularly have practical and effective exchanges to enhance mutual understanding and share experiences in other fields where both sides have strengths and needs.

From the achievements that have been made to date, I believe that the Vietnam - North Korea relationship will continue to be preserved, inherited and strongly promoted, thereby making practical contributions to the cause of building and developing each country, bringing the traditional Vietnam - North Korea friendship to a new height, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Thank you very much, Ambassador.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/dau-an-quan-trong-trong-moi-quan-he-huu-nghi-truyen-thong-viet-nam-trieu-tien-20251007225945912.htm