Further "thicker" cultural, sports and tourism exchange activities between Vietnam and the DPRK

Also attending were Ms. Tran Hai Van, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation, Ms. Le Thi Hoang Yen, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Sports Department.

On the side of the DPRK delegation, there were Mr. Kim Myong Gun, Chairman of the DPRK Taekwondo Committee, Representative of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly; Mr. Ri Sung Guk, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the DPRK to Vietnam; Mr. Ri Yong Son, President of the International Taekwondo Federation ITF and the DPRK Taekwondo delegation.

Deputy Minister Phan Tam speaks at the meeting

Sending greetings to Mr. Kim Myong Gun at the meeting, Deputy Minister Phan Tam affirmed that the reception and working session was a meaningful activity on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Vietnam and the DPRK have a long-standing cooperative relationship. Close cooperation through sports, culture and tourism activities will help connect people with people, heart with heart.

"We all have the responsibility to preserve and foster the close and lasting relationship between the two countries. The recent exchanges have helped young Vietnamese people understand more about the people, country, martial arts and culture of the DPRK. On behalf of the leaders of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, I sincerely thank the exchange initiative of Mr. Ri Sung Guk, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the DPRK to Vietnam and Mr. Ri Yong Son, President of the International Taekwondo Federation ITF" - Deputy Minister Phan Tam expressed.

Overview of the working session

Not only Taekwondo, in the near future, Deputy Minister Phan Tam hopes that other sports of the DPRK will have opportunities to exchange in Vietnam, especially strong sports such as Table Tennis, Basketball, Athletics...

Thanking the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Deputy Minister Phan Tam for their warm welcome, Mr. Kim Myong Gun expressed: "Although we have not visited Vietnam for long, we have felt the deep affection and friendship between the two countries. Feeling the affection of the Vietnamese people for the delegation, we will convey this affection to the people of Korea."

Mr. Kim Myong Gun, Chairman of the Korean Taekwondo Committee, spoke at the meeting.

Reviewing two important milestones in the diplomatic relations between the two countries, the meeting between President Ho Chi Minh and President Kim Il Sung during the first official visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in 1957 and President Kim Jong Un's official visit to Vietnam in 2019, Mr. Kim Myong Gun affirmed that the exchange activities between the two countries have entered a new phase.

On that basis, Mr. Kim Myong Gun hopes that Taekwondo will continue to spread further in Vietnam, and at the same time, affirmed that North Korea is ready to closely coordinate in sending coaches and experts to participate in training and education in Vietnam.

Deputy Minister Phan Tam presented gifts and took souvenir photos with the delegation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Responding to Mr. Kim Myong Gun, Deputy Minister Phan Tam also requested that the Embassy of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in Vietnam pay more attention to supporting the reception of Vietnamese coaches and athletes to compete and train in North Korea.

The Deputy Minister assigned the Department of International Cooperation and the Vietnam Sports and Physical Training Department to closely coordinate with the Embassy of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in Vietnam to "thicker" exchange activities between the two countries in the fields of culture, sports and tourism.

"With the 75-year tradition of diplomatic relations between the two countries, we believe that close coordination in the coming time will be a good catalyst to promote the upcoming cooperation period to be more vibrant in the fields of culture, sports and tourism" - Deputy Minister Phan Tam affirmed.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/lam-day-hon-nua-cac-hoat-dong-giao-luu-van-hoa-the-thao-du-lich-giua-viet-nam-chdcnd-trieu-tien-20250424170722074.htm