Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Hoài Trung (centre), North Korean Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Pak Sang Gil (left), and Vietnamese Ambassador to the North Korea Lê Bá Vinh cut the ribbon to open the exhibition. — VNA/VNS Photo

PYONGYANG — On the occasion of the visit to North Korea by Politburo member and Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Hoài Trung, who is Special Envoy of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (CPV) Central Committee and State President Tô Lâm, the Vietnamese Embassy in North Korea organised a photo exhibition showcasing relations between the two countries.

The event was attended by North Korean Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Pak Sang Gil, alongside a large number of local friends.

Visitors at the exhibition were moved by historical photographs dating back nearly 70 years, including images of the founding leader of North Korea Kim Il Sung personally welcoming President Hồ Chí Minh and a CPV delegation at Pyongyang’s Sunan International Airport during their visit to North Korea from July 8-12, 1957. In return, the North Korean leader paid an official visit to Việt Nam from November 27 to December 3, 1958.

The exhibition also featured photographs capturing activities of the two leaders during the historic visits, reflecting the close and enduring friendship between the two nations.

Throughout history, the friendship between Việt Nam and North Korea, established in 1950, has continued to be strengthened and developed. Leaders of both Parties and States have maintained regular exchanges and mutual visits over the decades.

The exhibition included memorable images such as North Korean leader Kim Jong Il welcoming General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee Nông Đức Mạnh during his visit to Pyongyang in October 2007, and General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee Nguyễn Phú Trọng greeting Chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the State Affairs Commission of North Korea Kim Jong-un during his visit to Việt Nam in March 2019.

Also on display were photographs from Party General Secretary Lâm’s state visit to North Korea and his attendance at celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea in October 2025.

On the same day, several media outlets from the South Korea, including the Yonhap News Agency, reported extensively on diplomatic activities between Việt Nam and North Korea.

According to a VNA correspondent in Seoul, Korean observers believe the move demonstrated the North Korean strong interest in relations with Việt Nam amid efforts to expand its foreign engagement. Analysts also suggested that Việt Nam could play an important diplomatic bridging role in inter-Korean relations in the coming period, particularly following Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s state visit to Việt Nam last month. —VNA/VNS