General Secretary To Lam visits South Korea: In addition to the 'telling' numbers, there will be commitments and motivations for the flow of Vietnam-South Korea relations to explode.

General Secretary To Lam received Mr. Park Chang Dal, Special Envoy of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on July 29. (Source: Nhan Dan)

Ambassador, please tell us the meaning and importance of the State visit of General Secretary To Lam and his wife to Korea.

At the invitation of President Lee Jae Myung of the Republic of Korea, General Secretary To Lam and his wife, along with a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, paid a state visit to the Republic of Korea from August 10-13. General Secretary To Lam is the first state guest to visit the Republic of Korea after President Lee Jae Myung took office (June 4) . In general, this event is a harmonious combination of appropriateness, rationality and timeliness.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Korea Vu Ho. (Source: Vietnamese Ambassador to Korea)

Speaking of love, exactly eight centuries ago (1225-2025), Ly Long Tuong, Prince of the Ly Dynasty, set foot in Goryeo (ancient name of Korea) to start the Vietnam- Korea exchange . After many years of ups and downs, this relationship reached its peak . Three years ago, the two countries became Comprehensive Strategic Partners , a milestone in the history of relations between the two nations.

In theory , sincere dialogue, frank exchange, and in-depth discussion are the basic characteristics of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This visit clearly reflects the maturity of the Vietnam-Korea relationship , which has been nurtured by the leaders of the two countries for more than three decades. The exchanges and commitments during this visit, in addition to the numbers, will also be commitments to the sustainable development of the Vietnam-Korea Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The world and the region in general, and Vietnam and Korea in particular , are entering a new stage of development . Opportunities are mixed with challenges, advantages and difficulties . This is the right time for the leaders of both sides to convey the message of determination to cooperate closely and comprehensively for peace, stability and sustainable development of the region as well as the world.

How does the Ambassador assess the most prominent features of the bilateral relationship after nearly 3 years of establishing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership milestone?

As mentioned above, upgrading relations is a strategic decision , both opening up new opportunities for cooperation and enhancing the commitments that the two countries have made to each other. Over the past three years , Vietnam-Korea relations have entered an unprecedented period of deep and comprehensive development .

In summary, we can see that this framework has achieved remarkable results in all aspects. Cooperation Political and diplomatic relations have been enhanced, and strategic trust has deepened. As a result, the dialogue mechanism has been expanded not only on security and defense but also on technology, innovation, and sustainable development.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son had a phone call with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on August 6. (Photo: Bao Chi)

Along with diplomatic politics, trade and investment between the two countries have grown strongly , reaching over 90 billion USD in 2024, aiming for 100 billion USD . Korea has also become Vietnam's leading investment partner with a total capital of up to 92 billion USD. And not only that, Korea is also the second largest development partner with ODA leading in ASEAN.

Besides these impressive figures, people-to-people exchange is another focus in Vietnam-Korea relations. The number of Vietnamese residing in Korea has increased sharply, reaching more than 300,000 permanent residents and more than 200,000 Koreans in Vietnam , working in all economic and social fields of the two countries. This is the strategic resource for the development of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

However, the above achievements of the Vietnam-Korea Comprehensive Strategic Partnership are just the beginning, there are still many resources that need to be unlocked, and potentials that need to be exploited. This State visit by General Secretary To Lam will be a new driving force, suggesting long -term and effective solutions for the flow of relations to explode strongly in the new period.

Special Advisor to President Lee Jae Myung, Mr. Kwon Hyuk Min, recently stated that the current Korea-Vietnam relationship is not just a simple economic cooperation, but can be described as a relationship of survival and mutual development and growth. What is your opinion on this point of view, Ambassador? Why ?

I completely agree with the assessment of Special Advisor Kwon Hyuk Min. The current Vietnam-Korea relationship is not just a normal economic cooperation but has truly transformed into a model of strategic resonance.

For Korea, Vietnam is the gateway to ASEAN, a base to penetrate the region and also a friend on many international roads. Besides, Vietnam and Korea are mutually supportive economies in structure; Vietnam is a dynamic economy with a young workforce; Korea has advanced technology and development experience.

From that, it can be affirmed that this is a relationship of coexistence and co-development, in which the prosperity of one side contributes to the stability and success of the other side.

People-to-people exchanges and the bond between the people of the two countries have become increasingly strong over the years, with many people considering Vietnam or Korea as their second home. How does the Ambassador assess this enduring “silk thread” in the overall efforts to develop and enhance cooperation between the two countries?

People-to-people exchange is the “strong thread” that connects the hearts and souls of the two nations, overcoming geographical distance and cultural differences. Nearly 600,000 citizens of the two countries are living, studying and working in each country . As mentioned above, this is the main force implementing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and is the subject that needs special care and attention.

Ambassador Vu Ho chaired an event to disseminate and answer legal questions for Vietnamese people residing in Korea held at the Vietnamese Embassy in Korea on July 6. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Korea)

The Vietnamese community residing in Korea is relatively young, and has not been established and developed for a long time compared to other countries. However, with the Vietnamese identity, with the spirit of diligence, industriousness , mutual love , the Vietnamese have been integrating and contributing effectively to the economic and social life of Korea. It can be said that the Vietnamese footprint has appeared in every region of Korea.

To fully exploit this strength, it requires both long-term and short-term solutions from all parties, the Vietnamese and Korean governments as well as the strength of the entire community .

On the community side, it is to “preserve the Vietnamese soul” in every step, on every path of making a living in Korea. This process needs to be implemented in an organized manner, both aiming at “integration” but also ensuring that it is not “dissolved”. On the one hand, successful examples need to be honored , Vietnamese language classes need to be expanded, and community activities need to be regularly implemented. On the other hand, difficult circumstances and children in distress need to be supported promptly, loved and protected by the community.

On the part of the two governments, these are legal support, upgrades in citizen protection, and timely and effective solutions to difficulties. The recent decision to allow Vietnamese people to regain Vietnamese nationality has created a new wind in the community, meeting the long-standing aspirations of the Vietnamese community. In addition, the two countries will also discuss further steps to create more favorable conditions for citizens of both countries to reside, do business and develop with peace of mind.

In short , living in each other's country is not only a matter of livelihood, but also a matter of integration and preservation of national identity. When there is synchronous coordination between the people - communities - governments of the two countries, the Vietnamese and Korean communities will become dynamic parts, a bridge for the Vietnam - Korea Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to increasingly develop and deepen .

Thank you very much Ambassador!

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tong-bi-thu-to-lam-tham-han-quoc-ngoai-con-so-biet-noi-se-la-nhung-cam-ket-dong-luc-cho-dong-chay-quan-he-viet-han-bung-phat-323483.html