Republic of Korea President Lee Jae Myung. — VNA/VNS Photo

At the invitation of Republic of Korea (RoK) President Lee Jae Myung, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee Tô Lâm and his wife will pay a state visit to the Republic of Korea from August 10 to 13. A Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Seoul interviewed the RoK president on the significance of the visit, the potential for bilateral cooperation and key priorities in the country's policy towards Việt Nam.

Việt Nam and the RoK established a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022. What is the significance of the upcoming state visit by General Secretary Tô Lâm for the present and future of bilateral relations?

General Secretary Tô Lâm’s visit to the RoK will be the first state visit hosted by the people-centred government under my leadership, and also the first visit by a foreign head of state that we are receiving. This reflects the great importance RoK attaches to its relationship with Việt Nam and demonstrates my personal commitment, as well as that of the RoK government, to advancing our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership towards the future.

The relationship between RoK and Việt Nam is far closer than mere geographic proximity might suggest. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992, our two countries have developed a strong and mutually beneficial partnership across many fields, including politics, economy, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

Economically, Việt Nam is RoK’s third-largest trading partner and its largest development cooperation partner. With around 10,000 Korean businesses operating in Việt Nam, RoK is now the largest investor in the country.

Moreover, the friendship between our peoples is deep and enduring, going far beyond what economic figures alone can express. With over five million mutual visits each year, the vibrant exchanges between our citizens have laid a solid foundation of trust and friendship.

Personally, I take pride in having contributed, even in a small way, to building that trust and friendship. As Mayor of Seongnam City, I signed a twinning agreement with Thanh Hóa Province in Việt Nam and actively promoted international exchanges and official development assistance projects.

Upon assuming office as president, I held a phone call with the State President of Việt Nam to express my commitment to cooperation and promptly dispatched a special envoy to Việt Nam.

This upcoming state visit by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, therefore, holds special meaning for me. I believe it will further solidify political trust between our two countries and mark a significant milestone, opening a new chapter in Korea–Việt Nam relations.

Our ties will not remain confined to trade and investment, but will expand into strategic future sectors such as national infrastructure, science and technology and workforce development.

Beyond economic cooperation, our countries are also comprehensive partners working towards the future on the global stage. For example, with regards to peace on the Korean Peninsula, our cooperation is crucial, as peace and denuclearisation are no longer solely regional issues. Việt Nam is an indispensable partner in transforming inter-Korean relations towards reconciliation and cooperation. I hope our two nations will work together for global peace and stability.

Furthermore, RoK and Việt Nam will host the APEC Summit in 2025 and 2027, respectively. I hope our two countries will continue to share experiences and actively collaborate not only within APEC, but across various multilateral platforms.

What are the RoK government’s policy priorities in its cooperation with Việt Nam?

As the global economic and trade environment becomes increasingly uncertain, expanding and deepening economic cooperation between our countries is more important than ever.

The economic partnership that the RoK and Việt Nam have built is a vivid example of how nations can create mutual benefits in international relations.

We will work together to achieve our shared goal of raising bilateral trade to US$150 billion by 2030. This ambitious target is not just about numbers – it must contribute to the sustainable growth of both our nations.

As I mentioned earlier, we hope to broaden our cooperation into strategic and forward-looking sectors. I understand that under the leadership of General Secretary Tô Lâm, Việt Nam is pursuing the national vision of becoming an upper middle-income country by 2030 and a high-income country by 2045. I hope the RoK will be a trusted partner on this journey.

Key sectors such as nuclear power, high-speed rail, infrastructure and advanced science and technology industries will play a crucial role in realising Việt Nam’s national vision.

We hope to explore effective cooperation models in infrastructure, share research and technological know-how through institutions like the Việt Nam–Korea Institute of Science and Technology (VKIST), and also promote the training of skilled workers to contribute to the shared prosperity of both countries.

People-to-people and cultural exchanges form the bedrock of deeper bilateral relations. The RoK government will continue to provide support to ensure that the large Vietnamese community living and working in RoK can feel at home and be a part of our society.

The two sides will also promote cooperation in tourism and cultural industries. With RoK’s globally recognised content industry, our cultural collaboration can go beyond simply sharing our cultural richness, towards creating mutual economic opportunities for both countries.

Economic ties have long been a highlight of Việt Nam–RoK relations over the past three decades. How do you assess the potential for bilateral cooperation in this vital area?

Over the past 30 years, the RoK and Việt Nam have become each other’s key economic partners, and I believe that Việt Nam will continue to be one of the RoK’s most important partners going forward.

Last year, bilateral trade reached $86.7 billion, and direct investment by RoK businesses in Việt Nam totalled $7 billion.

Việt Nam is currently the largest recipient of the RoK's investment in ASEAN, while the RoK is the largest foreign investor in Việt Nam.

These figures clearly demonstrate the vast potential for economic cooperation. Now is the time to elevate the quality of this cooperation through emerging industries such as Artificial Intelligence, high technology, services and digital content.

From the RoK’s perspective, Việt Nam has all the conditions to become a hub for emerging growth industries, thanks to its young and talented workforce, attractive investment environment and efficient multi-layered trade networks.

If the more than 10,000 RoK enterprises operating in Việt Nam continue to leverage these strengths, I am confident that the RoK and Việt Nam will further reinforce their positions as each other’s most reliable partners in economic cooperation.

Việt Nam and the RoK are parties to various bilateral and multilateral economic cooperation mechanisms, such as the Việt Nam–Korea Free Trade Agreement (VKFTA), the ASEAN–Korea Free Trade Area (AKFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. In your view, how can both countries leverage these frameworks to enhance cooperation and mitigate the impacts of recent global trade tensions?

The impressive achievements shared by the RoK and Việt Nam are proof that a free trade order can bring real benefits to all parties. The multi-layered FTA network between our countries has laid a solid foundation for economic growth. In fact, compared to 2006 – before the AKFTA came into effect – our bilateral trade has increased nearly 18-fold by 2024, while investment has more than doubled.

The impact of FTAs goes further than simply boosting trade. By expanding economic cooperation, our countries have also been able to coordinate more effectively in addressing global challenges like the digital transformation and climate change, issues that no single country can tackle alone.

Over time, this cooperation has created a virtuous cycle, where joint responses to global issues further deepen and widen our economic partnership.

That is why the VKFTA, marking its 10th anniversary this year, is a symbolic achievement in our shared journey toward a free and fair global trade order.

I hope the economic cooperation history we have built together will continue to serve as a key foundation for restoring and developing a future global order based on free and mutually beneficial trade.

People-to-people diplomacy is considered a solid bridge in Việt Nam–RoK relations. With around 300,000 nationals from each country living, studying and working in the other, what is your assessment of the Vietnamese community’s contribution in the RoK and what policies does your government have to promote worker exchanges going forward?

Have you ever heard Vietnamese people joke that Đà Nẵng is like Gyeonggi Province? So many South Koreans vacation in Đà Nẵng that it’s sometimes hard to tell whether you’re in Việt Nam or the RoK. That’s how vibrant our people-to-people exchanges have become.

Beyond short visits, there are now around 100,000 multicultural Korean–Vietnamese families. In a way, our two countries have become like in-laws through these marital ties.

Travellers who love both nations, multicultural families and Vietnamese workers contributing to the RoK's economy are strong bridges connecting our countries. They are reliable 'people’s diplomats' advancing our bilateral ties.

That’s why, at a recent cabinet meeting, I directed the government to issue policies supporting Vietnamese workers in the RoK. We will continue to identify ways to ensure that Vietnamese workers can perform their duties in safe and healthy conditions. We also will not forget to provide necessary assistance to ensure stable living conditions and welfare for multicultural families.

From my experience as Mayor of Seongnam, I deeply understand the importance of local government-level cooperation in promoting bilateral relations. We will further enhance exchanges between local authorities, expand opportunities for business and citizen interaction and strengthen consular cooperation to deepen people-to-people ties.

When coach Park Hang Seo achieved outstanding results with the Vietnamese national football team, not only Vietnamese but also South Korean citizens celebrated and cheered as if it were their own team.

Most recently, I heard the exciting news that Coach Kim Sang Sik led the Vietnamese team to a third consecutive ASEAN championship. This is truly a shared joy. I see this as a prime example of the vibrant people-to-people exchanges between our countries. We will actively support such exchanges so they can continue flourishing across many fields. — VNS