Vietnamese Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Vũ Hồ at the interview with Vietnam News Agency. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee Tô Lâm is the perfect combination of emotion, rationality, and timing, said Vietnamese Ambassador to the RoK Vũ Hồ.

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency’s correspondent in Seoul ahead of the August 10-13 visit, Ambassador Hồ noted that this marks the first state-level visit to the RoK by a foreign leader since President Lee Jae Myung took office.

Reflecting on history, he said that that eight centuries ago, Prince Lý Long Tường of the Ly Dynasty set foot in Goryeo, initiating early cultural and historical ties between Việt Nam and the RoK. Despite ups and downs, this relationship has reached a high point, especially since the comprehensive strategic partnership was established three years ago.

The ambassador highlighted that the partnership’s core attributes are sincerity, openness, and in-depth dialogue. He viewed the visit as strong evidence of the relationship’s maturity, cultivated through over 30 years of leadership efforts on both sides. The commitments and agreements made during this visit are expected to support the sustainability of bilateral ties.

He further noted that both countries, and the broader region, are entering a new phase of growth marked by intertwined opportunities and challenges. The visit offers a chance to express joint commitment to closer cooperation for peace, stability, and sustainable development regionally and globally.

Ambassador Hồ called General Secretary Lâm's visit itself a diplomatic milestone – the first time a Party chief of Việt Nam is welcomed as a state guest immediately after a new Korean president assumes office. President Lee personally directed ministries and agencies to facilitate the visit.

The visit will include diverse activities in politics, economic and trade cooperation, culture, arts, and people-to-people exchanges. These will embody strategic depth and help shape bilateral relations’ trajectory in a new development era for both countries.

The ambassador said that the visit is expected to not only broaden bilateral cooperation but enhance its quality, giving the comprehensive strategic partnership a fresh outlook.

With around 600,000 Vietnamese and Korean nationals living in each other’s countries, people-to-people ties and cultural interactions have deepened. This community serves as a strategic resource for implementing commitments of the two countries' leaders. The visit will offer a source of encouragement to the Vietnamese community in the RoK, showing the Vietnamese Party's and State's care for overseas Vietnamese, especially those in the RoK.

Ambassador Hồ underlined that the comprehensive strategic partnership that the two countries established in 2022 represents the highest trust between nations. After more than 30 years of progress, the relationship is at a pivotal point where strategic steps must deepen and advance it, both quantitatively and qualitatively.

Citing economic cooperation, the diplomat said the RoK is Việt Nam's largest foreign investor, with accumulated capital of US$92 billion, and the third-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding $90 billion, which is expected to reach $100 billion soon. Meanwhile, Việt Nam is the RoK’s third-largest trading partner, after China and the US.

He stressed innovation remains vital amid today’s complex context. Though economic figures are impressive, qualitative improvements are necessary. Beyond trade and investment, the countries should broaden exchanges and deepen collaboration in technology transfer, infrastructure, finance, human resource training, innovation, supply chain integration, institutional reform, and policymaking.

On cultural cooperation, he emphasised that culture is a spiritual foundation and lasting link between nations. He described the Việt Nam–RoK relationship as sharing cultural values rooted in history and modernity, evident in many societal aspects.

He suggested both countries build on the idea “connecting hearts is connecting futures” by establishing regular cultural exchange programmes such as annual festivals, support for traditional and contemporary performing arts, and joint performances. He also stressed tradition education, mother-tongue preservation, and multilingual digital content to preserve cultural identity and enrich bilateral interaction.

Regarding digital content collaboration, Ambassador Hồ noted that both nations have vibrant, tech-savvy youth highly active on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. He saw great potential in expanding cooperation in film, music, gaming, webtoons, short videos, and online education. Such cooperation will enable a flexible, modern, and sustainable cultural exchange, the diplomat concluded. — VNA/VNS