President Yoon Suk Yeol (right) on the afternoon of Dec. 5 last year at the Office of the President in Seoul shakes hands with then Vietnamese leader Nguyen Xuan Phuc at their bilateral summit. (Office of the President) 

By Park Hye Ri

President Yoon Suk Yeol says, "I hope that this state visit to Vietnam opens a new chapter in cooperative ties between the two countries." 

Ahead of his state visit to Vietnam, he made this statement in a June 21 written interview with the government-run Vietnam News Agency (VNA). 

The VNA article "Korea, Vietnam launch new chapter in bilateral cooperation" quoted him as saying, "Over the past 30 years since the official establishment of official ties in 1992, Korea and Vietnam have continuously built and developed an exemplary cooperative relationship for mutual benefit in every sector." 

"The most important thing is to push ahead with the development of more practical and future-oriented bilateral ties in line with the rapidly changing domestic and foreign environments, rather than being satisfied with the results we've achieved."  

Saying bilateral relations, which mark their 30th anniversary this year, were upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the president said, "This shows the determination of the governments and people of the two countries to expand their field of cooperation and deepen bilateral exchange in solidarity."

"Vietnam is a key country in Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy," he said. "I hope for stronger cooperation in national security with Vietnam so that the rules-based order of the Indo-Pacific region can firmly take root." 

He also pledged to expand bilateral cooperation in national security and defense based on Korea's outstanding technology as proven on the global market.

"We will keep boosting future-oriented cooperation for mutual prosperity of Korea and Vietnam," the president said. "On this state visit to Vietnam, I will announce new aid projects to help Vietnam raise its capacity for scientific and technological research.

Noting the importance of cooperation for achieving future goals, he said, "We hope that future generations of both countries play a key role in achieving the goals of carbon neutrality by 2050 and digital transformation." 

"Vietnam is striving toward its goal of becoming an advanced country by 2045," he added. "This is in line with the Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative announced at the Korea-ASEAN Summit in November last year in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for Korea to become a global pivotal state." 

"Over the past 30 years, the human exchange sector has achieved rapid development thanks to efforts from all walks of life in both countries," the president said. "The Korean government will provide full institutional support to boost bilateral people-to-people exchange."

To expand exchange between future generations of both sides, he also announced plans to expand support for Korean-language students in Vietnam to offer them high-quality related programs and more opportunities to study in Korea.

President Yoon on June 22 arrived in Vietnam for his state visit. 

After a three-day trip to France, he and first lady Kim Keon Hee on the presidential plane Code One in the morning arrived at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi. 

Through June 24, the president will hold a bilateral summit with Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong and individual meetings with high-ranking officials such as the Vietnamese Communist Party's General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

hrhr@korea.kr