Ambassador Park Nohwan, who was appointed the 13th Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Việt Nam, arrived in Hà Nội on October 14, and began his official activities after presenting his credentials to the General Secretary of the Communist Party and President Nguyễn Phú Trọng on October 16. He wrote to Việt Nam News:

I would first like to express my appreciation to Vietnam News Agency President Nguyễn Đức Lợi and his staff for allowing me this opportunity to contribute to the VNA.

Việt Nam has achieved a successful soft-landing in its economic reform efforts spearheaded by Đổi mới, Việt Nam’s economic reform policy, and has been continuing its rapid economic growth.

I believe that in the near future Việt Nam will lead the growth of the Southeast Asian region and play an important role as a newly arising industrial country in the international community.

I am very glad to be appointed as an ambassador to such a country with great potential, to which the world is paying close attention.

2018 AFF SUZUKI CUP FINALS : Vietnam crowned champions of 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup. — Photos Courtesy of the embassy

Above all, I am more than happy because Việt Nam is my hometown at heart where I've spent half of my diplomatic career. Taking this opportunity, I would like to share my ideas on how to develop Korea-Việt Nam relations during my term.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992, Việt Nam and Korea have developed their relationship in a mutually prosperous way to upgrade their ties to a Strategic Cooperative Partnership in 2009.

As of 2018, bilateral trade had reached US$68.3 billion, Korea’s investment in Việt Nam totalled US$62.5 billion, and people-to-people exchanges amounted to 4 million, which all demonstrate the close relationship between Việt Nam and Korea.

Underpinned by this strong partnership, Việt Nam and Korea will work together to jointly respond to global political and economic uncertainties and seek strategic co-operation in preparation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in the areas of science, information and communications technology (ICT), smart cities and healthcare.

The two countries will focus on establishing a win-win co-operative framework to ensure that Việt Nam achieves industrial self-reliance while Korea’s component and material-related industries find new business opportunities in Việt Nam.

A Consulate General of the Republic of Korea is scheduled to open in Đà Nẵng at end of this year. I would like to consult with relevant stakeholders on how to help Korean businesses advance into the central region of Việt Nam, which will contribute to Việt Nam’s development strategy towards a more balanced nation.

In this vein, the Korea-Việt Nam Business Summit to be held on November 9 in Quảng Nam Province will serve as a good starting point for both sides to discuss ways to co-operate in the central region of Việt Nam.

With a growing number of exchanges between the two countries, we are witnessing deepening mutual understanding. More efforts will be made to build a sound and healthy people-to-people exchange atmosphere as part of efforts to minimise any side effects that might occur in the process.

To this end, we will exert further efforts to ensure two-way cultural exchange focusing on mutual understanding and continue to improve visa services for the convenience of Vietnamese people travelling to Korea.

I will also strive to expand and deepen our co-operation in politics, security and defence. I believe this will lay the groundwork for elevating our bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive and Strategic Cooperative Partnership on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Việt Nam in 2022.

It is expected that Việt Nam will continue to play a valuable and constructive role in facilitating peace on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearisation as it has done by hosting the second Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)-United States Summit in February 2019.

K-POP LOVERS FESTIVAL: Fans try to catch a glimpse of the annual K-POP dance competition winners.

Việt Nam will serve as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) next year as well as a non-permanent United Nations Security Council member from 2020 to 2021. This participation will raise Việt Nam’s status in the international community, and Korea will support Việt Nam’s efforts by working closely in regional and international arenas.

The 2019 ASEAN-Republic of KOREA Commemorative Summit and the 1st Mekong-ROK Summit, which will take place in Busan from November 25-27, will provide a great opportunity to that end.

The ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit will mark the largest international conference since Korean President Moon Jae-in took office. All the leaders of the ten ASEAN nations are expected to attend. — VNS